The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High
by Saddened Soul
Summary: Join Joshua Townsend during his second year at high school in Ashfield. After meeting a few new people and making some friends, Joshua thought that high school wasn't as bad as he thought boy, was he wrong!
1. The Typical First Day

(Well, I'd never have thought of this if I had not been inspired by NinjaQueen's 'Walters Child', so, please understand I'm not stealing that story in any way, or the idea of it; this is just something I thought would be fun to write about.)

**DISCLAIMER: I own only the original characters that are in this story; The game series, 'Silent Hill', is not owned by me, and I make no profit off of this work.**

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy One: The Typical First Day_

Joshua Townsend sat quietly in the passenger seat of his father's car; his backpack lay in- between his legs as he stared out of the window at the moving landscape of Ashfield. Raindrops clattered against the vehicle's black shell as the fifteen year- old fidgeted slightly, adjusting the collar of his jean jacket.

The summer had passed ever so quickly, and Joshua dreaded the thought of returning to his high school. His first year there had been horrible; schoolwork, the slightly maniacal English teacher, Ms. Mason, more schoolwork, and a deranged puppy made his life a living hell. Strangely enough, no one offered him drugs, no one picked on him, and he had survived ninth grade without being more corrupted than he already was.

This was fortunate, to say the least, as his mother would have entered a life and death battle with the school for the minor injustices done to her son. Overall, though, Joshua's mother has embarrassed him from long ago to the days of Kindergarten, but that is another story.

His father, Henry, smiled as they approached the school. "Hey, cheer up, it won't be that bad," he stated as he glanced at his son. Joshua sighed. "Dad, high school's sucked every single day I've come; it's no different now."

Henry shrugged. "Well, maybe this year will be different? Don't worry so much about it… Oh, your mother'll be picking you up today; that's another advantage, next year you can drive yourself to school, and we won't have to embarrass you that much."

Henry chuckled at his comment, but his smile faded when his son did not respond, just continued sighing and looking out the window.

"Well, we're here, Dad, I'll see you later," Joshua said before slinging his backpack over his left shoulder and exiting the car. Henry watched as his son walk onto the concrete and towards the school entrance. Many other teenagers were scattered about, talking and laughing before the day began.

"Take care," he muttered before driving off in the rain.

Joshua entered the school quickly, examining the hallway he stood in. Ashfield High School was quite large, sporting two floors, a massive cafeteria and gymnasium, and an indoor swimming people. Students littered the hallways as well, talking about mindless crap Joshua could care less about.

He wore a dark green shirt under his jacket, which was not buttoned. His dark blue jeans were a tad faded, but his brown hair was combed neatly. Of average height, Joshua was thin, his complexion fine.

Overall, he was an average fifteen year- old male with one hell of a life.

He fished in his pocket and removed his folded up schedule, opening it. What he saw made his heart sink. "Ms. Mason! No, no way! Not first period!" his mind screamed as he stuck the schedule back in his pocket. "Damn, already sucky on the first day…"

Ms. Cheryl Mason's classroom was located on the second floor. She was known all around the school for her slightly eccentric behavior and difficult classroom agenda. She was, however, renowned for her slim tolerance with misbehavior. Your life was endangered if you made as much as a crack comment about her clothing, the classroom, another student, or her.

And for a mysterious reason, Joshua was usually one the receiving end of her discipline, even though he was the most behaved student in the class.

He sighed as he entered the room, glancing around at the neat rows the desks were lined up in. Only two other students were inside; a girl with blonde hair tied up in a ponytail, and a guy who had his feet resting on the desk before him. He seemed to be a goth, but Joshua only disregarded both of them and took a seat near the front of the class.

A woman wearing a black blouse and jeans was writing on the chalkboard, her short black hair combed neatly. Her right hand was quick with the piece of chalk, scribing out the date, her name, and the day's lesson.

Soon, the bell rang, and the class filled up. The woman turned around, eyeing the variety of teenagers sitting. Her gaze drifted down to Joshua for a moment, but she quickly looked up.

"Well, hello class, and welcome to my Language Arts class; I am Ms. Mason, and I'll be your teacher for the rest of the year. Now, for those of you who didn't have my class last year, I'd like to take a moment to-,"

Ms. Mason stopped speaking when another student walked in. He was wearing a blue- striped Polo shirt with beige slacks. His tennis shoes were slightly worn out, and his blonde hair gleamed a little. His backpack was overly large, and he clutched his schedule tightly while examining the room.

"May I help you, sir?" Ms. Mason inquired as the boy nodded. "Is this Ms. Mason's Language Arts class? This is my first day at this school, so…"

"Yes, it is, and you may take a seat next to this boy over here," she replied sternly, pointing at Joshua. The late student swallowed hard and walked quickly over to the desk, taking a seat in the desk. Ms. Mason smiled briefly before clearing her throat. "Now, class, let me explain…"

The boy glanced at Joshua and grinned. "I'm Christian Richards," he stated while holding his hand out. "Joshua Townsend; nice to meet you."

After the first three class periods had ended, lunch began, and with tradition, Joshua sat alone, away from those idiots who laughed about spilling milk. Most of the time, though, he did not eat, and that was the same today.

"How could anyone eat this crapola?" he thought aloud as the same boy who sat beside him during Ms. Mason's class walked up and sat across from him.

"Um, is it okay if I sit here?" he asked quietly. Joshua shrugged. "I don't care; you seemed sensible enough from what I generalized in English."

Christian nodded and put his tray down. "Thanks, I'm a bit shy," he stated while beginning to poke at his food with his spork. "So, uh, did you take classes here last year?"

Joshua nodded. "The worst year ever…" he trailed while mixing the peculiar red liquid with his plastic spork.

"Why'd you get that instead of the chicken?"

"It's better than all that substitution food they serve; ugh…"

Christian chuckled. "It doesn't matter to me what type of food it is, it's still edible. My parents told me to never be picky about food." Joshua shrugged. "Last year, almost everyone brought their lunch; this stuff's disgusting, man."

Christian thought for a moment. "Hmm… So do you have any hobbies?"

"I like photography, I guess because my dad introduced me to it when I was little."

"I… never knew my father. I was adopted…"

"Oh…"

Joshua stood up as the bell rang. "So, what class do you have next?" Christian checked his schedule. "It says here that I have Art."

"Huh, so do I, well, we could go together; come on."

Nicole Sunderland sat patiently at the small table, awaiting instructions from the Art teacher, Mr. O'Connell.

"Well, then, how about we start off with attendance, shall-," but he was interrupted as two male students ran in. "Who are you two?" he asked as Joshua and Christian regained their composure. "I'm Joshua Townsend, and he's Christian Richards; sorry for being late sir, but there was a weird noise in the bathroom, and we checked it out."

"In which bathroom?"

"The one down the hall."

"And what was in there?"

"Nothing… except for some dried up excretion in the corner…" answered Christian as Mr. O'Connell nodded. "I won't mark you two absent, as it is the first day, but you may take a seat at any table."

Christian smiled and darted to the nearest table; Joshua followed with haste, sitting down across from the only occupant at the table, Nicole.

She was quite pretty, wearing a white blouse and a pink skirt. Her shoulder length chestnut colored hair shone.

Joshua was a tad dumbfounded, but quickly shook his head. "Uh…"

"The name's Nicole; Nicole Sunderland."

"Christian Richards."

"Uh… um…"

"Is there something wrong with him? Why's he looking at me like that?"

"Hmm… Joshua?"

"Wha… what!"

He glanced around quickly at both of them, his face frantic. "You were in a trance or something, not listening," Christian said as he calmed down.

"Oh, sorry, I'm Joshua-,"

"Townsend, yeah, you told the teacher."

"Oh…"

Mr. O'Connell cleared his throat. "I'd like to do attendance, now, class, so could you all please quiet down…?"

"Today wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," Christian stated as he and Joshua walked out of the school and towards the pick- up area. "I guess… Huh, so are you going to be picked up-,"

"No, I walk home. My parents have a sort of busy schedule."

"I see…" Joshua shrugged and leaned against one of the many brick pillars holding up the large platform connected to the wall. "So you're off, then?"

"Yeah, well, see you tomorrow, Josh," Christian stated before starting to walk off. Joshua sighed. "Today wasn't all that bad, I suppose…"

However, Joshua had no idea…

(Yeah, some lame crap I come up with. Probably get a lot of flames… Anyway, if you do happen to review this piece of ostrich poop, thanks!)


	2. An Inside Look at Joshy Townsend

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Two: The Inside Look at Joshy Townsend_

Joshua slumped onto the cold, tile floor of his home, the door closing silently.

He had waited forty minutes for his mother before finally acquiring a call from her on his cell phone.

_"Sorry, Josh, but I won't be able to make it."_

It was this statement that forced Joshua to begin the long, two- mile trek to his house… in the rain. Now, our young, teenage friend knew that his mother had to have a _good _reason for not picking him up, as walking a two- mile distance in the rain was never very enjoyable; especially when the rain came down exceedingly hard and powerful.

Yet, he had somehow survived, avoiding a speeding car and carrying his backpack over his head.

However, now that Joshua had gotten home, and with the surprise of no homework, he was at an absence of what exactly to do with the spare time he had been given…

Of course, he could not stay on the floor for the two- to- four hour time period until one or both of his parents returned home, so he forced himself up and advanced from that entry hallway to the kitchen, which was reached by a doorway to the left.

Upon entering, he walked over to the refrigerator and proceeded to open it… before his attention was caught by a Post- It note on the freezer compartment above the door.

_Sorry about now being able to pick you up, Josh! I left you some Subway's that I bought for lunch in the fridge._

_Mom_

At the moment Joshua read, 'Subway's', his stomach growled. "Oh yeah… Can't believe Christian ate that…" he muttered. He then opened the refrigerator door, and sure enough, wrapped in a paper, was a sandwich. "Oh, Mom… didn't have to buy a whole sandwich for me…" he remarked while taking the sandwich out and flipping it over in his hand.

He then quickly grabbed a plate, unwrapped the sandwich, placed it on the plate, but before he could place it in the microwave, the phone rang.

Joshua sighed in irritation and reached out a foot away from the microwave to grasp the phone.

"Hello?" he spoke into the receiver once he had fixated the phone beside his right ear.

"Hello? Is this Henry Townsend?" responded a low voice.

"No, this is his son, Joshua Townsend."

"Oh… I see… Well, I have just recently obtained a job at Ashfield High School, and a colleague of mine told me that your father is selling photography…"

"It's only a few pictures; it's just a hobby…"

"I… see… Well then, could you please tell him when you see him that I would like to purchase one?"

"Okay, sure… What's your name, phone number-,"

"Sydney Wells; 795-212-100."

"Alright, thank you Mr. Wells; I'll let him call you when he has the chance."

"Thank you, Joshua…"

The man then chuckled and hung up, leaving Joshua to stare at what he had written on a small, slip of paper. "Weird number… never seen a, '100', in the end of a number… It's as if the 'zeroes' were used to fill up spaces…"

He shrugged it off though and returned to heating up his sandwich.

* * *

After about an hour or so, after devouring the sandwich and taking a shower, Joshua had nothing better to do than retreat to his room and lay down…

* * *

Joshua's room was a tad messy, like most teenagers' rooms are. He had a computer and stereo sitting on a drawer near the left wall. Pictures of him, his father and mother, his father, his mother, and all of them together were scattered about the room, on the space beside his stereo, on the small desk next to his Queen- sized bed, and on top of the shelf situated above his computer.

A comfortable, ocean- blue colored carpet was spread out across the room's floor, and a television set sat atop the drawer against the wall near his door.

Between the bed and drawer to the left was a wide, absent space. It was in this space and across the room that clothes were scattered about. Inside of the desk were a series of DVD cases, and a stack of books laid atop the desk. A lamp joined them, and a large chest held up the area between the desk and the drawer housing the computer and stereo.

Joshua knew that an assortment of different objects was within the chest, but he never bothered to open it and see what was inside. His father had moved the chest into his room, saying 'that it added a nice feel to the room'.

Actually, Joshua disliked the chest for two reasons:

(A.) It smelled, and…

(B.) It was scary.

* * *

Once he had walked into his room, he practically collapsed on the dark blue comforter of his bed. "Ugh… That guy that called said he was going to work at Ashfield High... right?" he asked himself while staring at the ceiling fan rotating quickly… ever so quickly…

He groaned and closed his eyes as he heard someone unlock and open the entrance door.


	3. Mr Wells and Lunch

(I've got to stop writing so much; I just can't help it! And yes, Servo, strange how Henry would have a wife and son, but I couldn't exactly think of another character, and it works with the story. By the way, where did you come up with your Penname? Is it from that slightly old television show, 'Super Human Samurai'?)

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High:_

_Chappy Three: Mr. Wells and a Nice Lunch… Sure, Whatever!_

"Stupid rain…" Joshua murmured as he walked through the halls of Ashfield High School. The rain had been continuously coming down since the previous morning, and it did nothing Joshua but get him wet. Plus, he thought he was acquiring a cold!

As always, a numerous amount of students were chatting away about how paint dried. They were like vermin, and our teenage friend had the extreme urge to kill all of them, and he would've, had it not been for the fact that it was a sin, he would be sent to court, and he would be considered a cruel, heartless beast.

Anyway, Joshua turned a corner and headed for a room at the end of the hall. "Thank God for B- Days…" he thought while walking.

You see, A- Day means first period with Ms. Cheryl Mason, and her cold demeanor seemed to have gotten more frigid since ninth grade. He shuddered. From what he generalized, he wasn't her target for this year; poor Christian would have to endure that. Joshua sighed. Oh, the hell that was English class…

He entered Room #203 silently, examining his surroundings. Only five students were present; they were all sitting cross- legged on the black carpeted floor; the windows were covered with black tapestry; a small table, adorned with several books and a candle, was at the front of the classroom.

"The… hell…?" Joshua muttered before slowly walking closer to the center of the room. The five in the room glanced at him as he moved, and he noticed writing on the board:

_All students please sit down on the floor; place your backpacks and belongings against the wall._

Joshua read this sentence to himself before letting go of his backpack and dropping it beside everyone else's. He then sat down behind a slim guy with large spectacles. He tapped this shoulder.

"Hey, where's the teacher?"

"What…? Oh, he isn't here yet…"

As he said that, the door closed suddenly. A man wearing a long, black coat walked speedily to the front of the room, his seemingly long, blonde hair tied back into a ponytail.

He turned to the class, eyeing them all strangely. He smiled slowly, nodding.

Joshua felt a pang in his chest as he looked into the man's eyes, but the feeling dissipated when the man began to speak.

"Well, is this all my class? Hmm… no matter… Anyway, I am Mr. Sydney Wells, your Mathematics teacher. Now, you may be wondering why I have you all sitting down on the floor, but it's quite simple, really. I just felt, as it is my first day ever as a teacher, I should get to know my students, don't you think?"

The nerd Joshua spoke too raised his hand. "Yes?"

"Sir, will we be sitting like this all the time?"

"We might be…"

"Oh…"

Mr. Wells glanced around the room quickly before taking a seat before the table and removing his coat. "Well then, who'd like to start us off?"

* * *

Joshua sighed as he dropped the money into the cashier's hand before walking off towards the lunch tables. Holding his Styrofoam tray, he sat at the nearest table and inspected his food. "Stupid food… I forgot to bring lunch!"

"Hey, Josh, how were your first two periods?" asked Christian while sitting down across from him. "Oh, they were fine; turns out I had Mr. Well's class; the new Math teacher."

"I see… how was he?"

"A little weird, but he had called my house yesterday; didn't even ask if I had told my dad, which I didn't…"

"About what?"

"He wanted to buy a few pictures my dad had taken. He sounded a little weird, as if he had known my dad, but I never knew about him."

Christian shrugged. "There he is now…" he stated while nodding his head towards the figure of Mr. Wells walking towards a table with the other teachers. They both continued looking at him as he sat down across from Ms. Mason and a Science teacher, Mrs. Lockhart.

Joshua's gaze drifted a little, falling on a girl sitting alone to the side. "Hey, isn't that the girl from Art?" he inquired. Christian looked towards her as well. "Oh yeah, she said her name was Nicole Sunderland…"

"I think… I'm in love…"

"What…? Josh, that's-,"

"Hold on, I'll be right back," he replied before standing and walking to the girl's table and sitting down. "Hi," he said, causing Nicole to look up at him.

"Oh, hello…"

"I was, uh, one of the guys sitting at your table in Art yesterday; Joshua Townsend…"

"Oh yeah, I remember now."

"Um… So I see you like pudding…?" he commented, addressing the banana pudding in the right corner of her tray.

"Well, I suppose I do."

"You know… I like… uh, I, um, uh…"

"What?"

"He likes banana pudding too," said Christian as he walked over. Joshua glanced at him for a second before nodding. "Y-Yeah…"

Nicole thought for a moment, before remarking, "That's… nice…"

Suddenly though, Joshua froze. His body stopped moving, his eyes locked on a single thing outside. Beyond a window, on the soaked grass, a puppy sat, its wide, clear eyes staring back at him.

"No… no… Not again, not again!" he yelled before standing and running out of the cafeteria.

Almost everyone inside had been alerted by his voice, and were now staring at him running out of the room.

"What… What was that?" Nicole asked as Christian sat down. "I have no idea… Well, he should be fine… I think…"

* * *

Henry sighed as he glanced at his speedometer. "I thought this, 'puppy', was gone, Josh? Wasn't it?"

His son thought for a moment while leaning back in the leather passenger seat. "I thought it was gone, too, Dad, but it came back! I… I can't explain it!"

"Well, it is strange; Ms. Hopkins was sure you were fine…"

"Yeah, but I noticed something after Ms. Niles spoke to me; the puppy started appearing when I first had classes with Ms. Mason, and then it stopped coming after the school year ended. And then, today, it showed up again, the same day I started having classes with Mr. Wells…"

Henry glanced out the window. "I saw that piece of paper with his information. What did he want, anyway?"

"He wanted to buy some photography…"

It was then that Joshua noticed the puppy laying on a bench as the car passed by…


	4. The Dinner Party Part ONE

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High:_

_Chappy Four: The Dinner Party; Part ONE_

Joshua reached for the phone, picking it up and holding it to his ear. "Hello…?"

"Joshua? Hey, it's me Christian!"

"How did you get this number!"

"I, uh, looked in the phone book for, 'Townsend'; amazingly, you guys are the only Townsend family in Ashfield…"

"Yeah… I guess…"

"So, anyway, I just called to make sure you're okay; you acted weird at lunch."

"Yeah, I know, my dad had to pick me up and bring me home; it's been really boring… But how was your day?"

"Oh, my last two class periods were fine. Science was pretty good; last period."

"Science? With Mrs. Lockhart?"

"Yeah."

"Hmm… Lucky son of a gun; she was the _only _nice teacher. Strange how she kept her maiden name though…"

"Why?"

"She got married last June."

Joshua sighed and glanced at the clock, grimacing. "Damn, just remembered I have to go to some dinner tonight; a friend of my dad's just became president of some company…"

"When is it?"

"8:30."

"Hmm… I guess I'll see you at school, then, bye."

"Yeah, bye."

He pushed the, 'OFF' button and placed the phone back before beginning to walk to his room.

* * *

Ever since the first day he began attending Ashfield High School, Joshua never felt good there. It didn't have the warm feeling his elementary and middle schools did, rather, it was chilly; all of his teachers except his Science; practically hated him, and now, the puppy had returned.

After his very first class with Ms. Mason occurred, the puppy would appear constantly, tormenting him. Whenever she was absent, it wouldn't show up, and every time it appeared, something bad would happen. Joshua would spill something, trip, sneeze, cough, fall, get punched; everything.

Yet, this year felt different; except for the fact he had Ms. Mason again and the puppy started coming out after class with Mr. Wells.

Now, Joshua's parents had to drag him along to an extremely boring dinner party, but he didn't mind it much. Actually, he always had a peculiar relationship with his father and mother. He was an only child, they would usually buy him anything he wanted, and he would do many things with them.

* * *

It was only a year after Walter Sullivan's death that Henry Townsend married. Two years later he discovered his wife was pregnant, and, sixteen years after that is where we are now.

Joshua never knew about the events concerning Walter and Silent Hill, and Henry and his wife thought it best he didn't. Besides, how would he benefit by knowing a psychotic, blonde- haired guy was _trying_ to 'free' his 'mother' by killing 21 people, two of which he failed to sacrifice. The guy even killed himself with a _spoon_! It wasn't even a Spork for crying out loud!

* * *

"What is it with this rain?" Joshua thought as another red light flashed and the car was forced to stop. "Are you feeling all right?" asked his mother as she turned her head to stare at him in a concerned manner. Her head and face were cast in shadow because of the many lights before her, but he nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine…"

"Good… I heard you saw the puppy again?"

"Uh… yeah, but I'm okay, no big deal."

His mother smiled briefly before looking back out the windshield as the green light faded on.

* * *

Henry parked his vehicle carefully into a slot near the back of the parking lot, glancing around as he did so. "How big is this place? Never heard of it…" his wife asked as Henry unlocked the doors. "It only opened up a few months ago; seems packed…"

As his parents conversed, Joshua had already left the car and was inspecting the restaurant from afar. He shook his right wrist, moving the cuff of his dress shirt back so he could see his watch.

Oh, his watch; a gift from both his father and mother at a very young age. Joshua would _never_ take it off, even in the shower; he would place a plastic bag over his right hand.

Anyway, he groaned at the time displayed. "Dammit, have to waste three hours of my life…" he thought as his parents exited the car.

Suddenly, though, his gaze targeted a cobalt blue van park a ways off. "Wait a minute… I've seen that car before… I swear I've seen it before…"

Joshua thought back to earlier in the day; he had seen the car in the parking lot of his school… He cocked his head to the left when he saw who got out.

"Mr. Wells? Shoot! If he's here, my parents… he's knows who I am… I think…"

"Is something wrong, honey?"

"W-What? Oh… No, I'm fine, just thought I saw something…"

The three then walked up to the building, Henry carrying an umbrella over his family and himself.

* * *

Joshua leaned against the bathroom door, sighing.

_"I'll be right back; have to go!"_

He rubbed his eyes and looked around the restroom before gliding over to a stall and glancing around. "Okay, just have to think…" Suddenly, though, the lights flicked on and off, making Joshua jump against the stall door. "Ow!" he exclaimed as his watch slipped off and fell.

_Splash!_

"No… way…" he muttered while sitting up and staring at the toilet. "How the hell did my watch come off? All I did was jump a little…"

He bent over slightly and looked into the water. "My watch… no… I can't leave you in there!" After considering his options, Joshua whimpered. "Oh crap!" he muttered before glancing around to make sure the coast was clear. He then lowered his right sleeve and attempted to plunge his hand into the toilet, but hesitated.

"Am I really going to risk my hand just for a watch that I can easily replace at the mall… Yeah!"

_Slosh!_

As Joshua fished around in the bowl, he heard the door open and close silent, and the sound of footsteps nearing became apparent. "Oh… no!" he screamed in his mind as the footsteps stopped, causing Joshua to turn slightly and look up. "Uh… it's, um... not what it looks like!"

"So you just put your hand in the toilet for no reason whatsoever?"

"N-Not exactly… Uh…"

"There has to be a reason you have your hand in the toilet."

"I know!"

"Then why are you doing it… Joshua?"

The teenager chuckled nervously as his Mathematics teacher smiled.

(Crappy chapter Alert!)


	5. The Dinner Party Part TWO

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High:_

_Chappy Five: The Dinner Party; Part TWO_

Mr. Wells knelt down to Joshua's level, smiling eerily. "It's not everyday I see someone putting their hand in a toilet; especially my first day of teaching. Strangely enough, you're one of my students… Does your father know of the little request I made?"

Joshua nodded slightly. "Yes, he does… But, uh, yeah…"

Mr. Wells glanced around the restroom. "Are you done, yet?"

"What…?"

"Are you done with the toilet?"

"Hold on…"

Joshua reached in a little further and felt something metallic and bulky. "Yes!" He grasped it and yanked it out, splashing some toilet water upon himself and his teacher.

"My watch!" he exclaimed before lightly kissing the plastic plate guarding the dial. It was only a moment later that Joshua began to gag. "Oh, crap!"

He rushed over to the nearest sink and began to wash both his hands and watch with a large amount of hot water and soap. However, he had turned the lever too far, and steam started rising out of the soap and water. "Ah! My hands!" he shouted before jolting up. As he was shaking his hands rapidly, Mr. Wells, using a piece of paper, switched the water off.

"Are you all right?" he asked while dropping the paper into a trash bin.

"Yeah, I'm fine; just wasn't paying attention…"

Mr. Wells began to slowly approach his student, his arms folded. "I've known your father, Joshua, for quite sometime…"

"Oh, really? I never knew that… Were you guys, uh, friends, or something…?"

"I suppose so, in a sense…"

"Okay…"

"Tell me, Joshua, have you ever been to a town called Silent Hill?"

"Silent Hill? Um… never heard of it before…"

"Too bad… It's a nice little town, not too far off from here, actually…"

Suddenly, the restaurant shook violently. "The hell was that?" Joshua let out as dust fell from the ceiling. "Oh God, it's an earthquake!" he yelled as a chunk of debris fell and crashed into a toilet.

The toilet exploded as a large amount of water began to flow into the room.

"Crap!" Joshua darted to the door and swung it open, only to see the entire restaurant in utter chaos; a black robed figure was standing on a table in the middle of the room.

He laughed maniacally. "All of you people stay back! I don't want to blow this guy's freakin' head off!"

The mysterious psychopath was holding a bald guy, with his arm, against his chest. A gun was pointed to his head.

The psychopath was, again, wearing a dark robe with the hood down. Calling his face pale would be just scratching the surface, but his eyes were definitely bloodshot.

"I've got this entire place wired up!" he shouted. "That first one was just an appetizer!"

"He must have placed explosives around or throughout the building…" Mr. Wells thought aloud as Joshua noticed more and more sewer water flowing out of the room. "Uh… we have to get out of here…" he stated as the robed guy turned around. "What the…? What're you two idiots doing! I told everyone to stand entirely still and not move!"

Joshua turned to him, trembling. "Hey, sorry! We just had to go…"

"That's not an excuse! Shut up!"

Suddenly, the sound of police sirens could suddenly be heard far off, and the guy cursed under his breath. "Oh, fine! Which one of you maggots called the cops!"

"I did, sir!"

The guy turned to see an oriental man behind a sushi bar; he was by himself there.

"I see… So, you little Chinese fly… You think you can stop me!"

Before anything could be done though, a rush of water busted out of the restroom and into the main restaurant; it began to flood. The robed guy wasted no time and ran to the window, jumping through it.

Unfortunately, the water quickly began to flood the building.

* * *

"Well… that was quite an interesting experience…" Joshua's mother stated as they stopped in front of another red light. "It's too bad your shirt got all wet, honey…" she stated, directing it to Joshua while looking back at him.

"It's not a big deal, Mom, we can just dry clean it, or something…"

It was then that a question suddenly popped into the teenager's mind. "Hey, Dad, did you ever know a person named Sydney Wells? You know, my Math teacher?"

"Sydney Wells? No, but he was the guy that wanted to buy a few photographs, right?"

"Yeah, but you don't know him?"

"No, why?"

"Oh, it's nothing… never mind…"

* * *

**CHAPTER PREVIEW **(Because I can.)

So, who was that maniac that wanted to blow up everything? Well, you're not going to find out next chapter, that's for sure! But… there'll be something going on… But what's with that puppy, and for Servo: WHO IS JOSH'S MOM? Well Whatever, see you next chapter!


	6. Dodge Ball! Mostly

(Hmm… Yes, Servo, I'm trying to place a small plot for this story; so that it's not entirely pointless…)

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Six: Dodge ball!_

Christian hummed an unrecognizable tune peacefully while walking down the hallway to the gymnasium. The first day of Physical Education had been pretty boring; rules, a lecture, attendance, and handing out gym clothes had taken up much of the fifty minute class.

He smiled as he pushed the black, double doors open. P.E. had always been his favorite class, and he felt extremely refreshed in his new, gym uniform.

He spotted Joshua, followed by a few others, entering the large, rectangular room through an alternate doorway opposite to his own. He decided to run up and greet his, 'friend'.

* * *

"This is a ton of crap, don't you think?" Joshua asked as he and another student, wearing large- rimmed spectacles and braces, slid against the right wall for attendance purposes.

"I-I-I… guess s-s-so…" answered the boy.

"Got a stuttering problem? Don't worry so much; I'll help you with whatever junk we have to do; Coach Ramirez is a jerk, though… Hmm, what's your name, anyway?"

"M-M-Myron… Y-Y-Y-Y-ours?"

"Joshua, but I like to go by Josh; more casual, you know?"

"Y-Yeah…"

Just then, Christian approached them, smiling. "We can finally enjoy P.E.! You guys excited?"

He received no response except for stares which implied: 'You're not serious, are you?'

Joshua glanced around before leading Christian a little ways away. "Okay, Chris; it's okay if I call you, 'Chris', right?"

"It's fine."

"Okay, great… Now, listen, and listen well…. I don't know about your previous P.E. classes, but ours suck… hard. The male coach will push you until you explode, and there is _nothing_ fun to do for the guys like us; the jocks are another story, but their as stupid as a bucket of paint."

Suddenly, however, a loud, booming voice could be heard. "Hey! All of you maggots! Get against the wall!"

A muscular guy wearing black hot pants and a skin- tight white shirt walked out. All of the other students ran to the wall and lined up as the guy stopped before them and grinned, his perfect teeth gleaming brightly.

"Okay, ladies, I have some nice, little information for you: Coach Miles has decided to start the year off with a game; dodge ball to be exact. Now, normally, the female and male gym classes don't interact, but today's an exception," he stated venomously.

"Dodge ball?" Joshua asked himself before cursing under his breath. Some of the jocks laughed stupidly, but Christian smirked. "I love dodge ball; don't get to play it much, but it's nice…"

As the coach began to walk off towards the door leading outside- which opened, revealing a few excited teenage girls- Myron groaned as Joshua rubbed his eyes.

"No way… Crap…"

"What's wrong?" Christian inquired as the boy whined. "They did the same thing last year; that's what. It was a slaughter; same thing this time, I bet…"

While they conversed, the entire female class filled up the opposite side of the gymnasium. Almost all of them seemed eager to beat the boys down into humiliation; both Myron and Joshua squirmed as the jocks roared and headed to the front lines as Coach Ramirez.

"Okay, y'all, this is how it works: I let go of some balls, you all grab 'em, and then start killing each other; Coach Miles has to take care of some business, so I'll be looking over the match; girls, you know what to do?"

"_YES_!"

"Ladies?"

A, more or less, animal roar came from the jocks, which were eighty percent of the male class, while the minority only groaned.

The coach blew a whistle, so loudly that Joshua winced, before the jocks and the females rushed forward to the thrown balls. In less than a second, the sound of hollow rubber echoed throughout the room as people threw, ran, dodged, and caught.

"Let's just hide in the back…" suggested Joshua to both Myron and Christian. Myron nodded, but the latter only shook his head. "You guys can go, but I'll fight! Even if there's about half as many boys left than girls, we must fight!"

"Yeah… Okay, whatever…" Joshua replied before turning to Myron. "Come on; we're just sitting ducks out here."

* * *

And so the battle raged on. After a good twenty minutes, only a small number of the girls had been hit, but the boys had been severely wounded. They were crawling, injured, on the wooden floor. Some were cradling others' bodies, and a few were being hit numerous times. A couple had been nailed in the-place-we-do-not-speak-of, and the girls were becoming more and more bloodthirsty.

Joshua and Myron were hiding near the wall, avoiding balls as they came. "We have ten minutes left… We have to make it!" Joshua exclaimed while darting away from another ball.

"T-T-This is the m-m-m-most heinous a-a-a-a-ct, I h-have ever s-s-seen…" Myron stammered. Christian, however, was up to par with the girls, taking out more of them than any of the others; however, soon, there was _no one _left except for Christian, Joshua, and Myron, as well as a handful of female equals.

"H-H-Holy m-moley!" Myron exclaimed as he examined the area. The carnage on both sides was horrible, and yet, Coach Ramirez was nowhere to be seen… In the midst of the aftermath, however, stood Christian, proud and strong.

Joshua was watching the girls on the other side.

"Just give up! There's no way you can beat us!" one of them cried.

"Oh yeah! Well, bring it on!"

Joshua approached Myron, cocking his head to the right. "Don't you think this seems like an extremely pathetic and dramatic situation?"

"S-S-Sure seems that way…"

Suddenly, however, a red, rubber ball sailed straight for Myron. "_NO_!" Christian shouted, only it sounded very low and peculiar due to the fact that time had slowed to a snail's pace for the geeky boy. But just as the projectile was about to collide with its target, he was pushed out of the way. As Myron turned, he saw the ball slam into Joshua's chest; the teenager's eyes widened as the impact forced him to the floor.

Time regained its normal flow instantaneously, and Christian was shocked. "You… monsters! They were harmless, and yet you still attacked them… No, no! This… ends now!" he yelled in fury before reaching for a ball.

* * *

"You see why I hate gym so much? I probably have a concussion…" Joshua stated as he and Christian walked towards the nearest exit of the school. The last bell had just recently rung, and all of the students were allowed to leave.

"Stop exaggerating so much; you're fine," his blonde friend replied. "Still though, you guys could've helped; I'm sure we would've won!"

"Yeah, when Hell freezes over… School sucks…"

Suddenly, though, the teenager tripped; over what, no one would ever know. However, as he fell, a hand grasped the collar of his jean jacket and yanked him up.

He began to slightly lean back, but quickly stood straight and turned around to see the person who had saved him. Christian did the same.

"Um… thanks! Uh, Nicole right?" Joshua asked as the girl nodded. "You should be more careful; I don't think Christian was completely prepared to save you."

The blonde boy scratched the back of his head and chuckled embarrassingly. Joshua shrugged. "Yeah, I know… Well, thanks, again…"

"No problem!" She smiled. "I guess we'll be seeing each other in Art on Friday?"

"Yeah…"

"Okay, then!" Nicole waved goodbye and hurriedly sped past them and out the door.

"Huh, guess you were lucky, eh?" Christian spoke. "Guess so…"

* * *

Anyway, Christian ended up leaving, letting Joshua sit on a bench and await his mother. The rain had stopped coming down since the previous night, and it was a welcome change for the brown- haired teenager. Life was getting a little better, but…

"H-Hey… you're t-t-t-the g-guy from g-gym, right?"

Joshua turned his head to see Myron standing beside the bench. The handle of his rolling backpack was clutched tightly, and the orange, buttoned shirt was a tad wrinkled.

"What's up? You okay?"

"Y-Yeah…"

"Great…"

"S-S-Sorry about g-g-gym…"

"Oh, it's no big deal; don't worry about."

The sound of honking from a green van alerted the both of them, and Joshua saw that it was his mother; she waved at him from inside.

"Aw, my mom's here; I guess- No, wait, do you need a ride?"

"N-No, it's f-f-fine; I c-c-c-can walk…"

"Hey, it's nothing; just a little help, I suppose. Come on!"

"Well… o-o-okay…"

"Awesome! Okay, just wait here for a second."

* * *

"Well, Myron, it's nice to meet you!" said Mrs. Townsend as the boy climbed into the backseat. "Y-You too, M-M-Mrs. Townsend," he answered while Joshua entered the vehicle and sat in the passenger seat.

"Hi, Josh, how was school?" his mother asked while brushing back a strand of light brown hair. "Fine, I guess…"

She smiled weakly and turned to Myron. "Do you mind if I take care of a quick errand? I can call your parents if you'd like?"

"S-S-Sure…"

A dark robed figure stood atop the roof of the school, smiling evilly. "Yes… I'm not done yet, kid… You think you distracted me while that annoying Chinese fly called the cops! Sorry, but you just set yourself up to go '**BOOM**'! No dice…"

The guy then began to laugh in a crazed manner as a raindrop hit his forehead…

* * *

**NO CHAPTER PREVIEW **(Because I can…) 


	7. Exploding Chickens and Sushi Part ONE

(Ugh… I have to stop updating this so much… Thanks, Servo; the thought of dodge ball just popped into my mind…)

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High:_

_Chappy Seven: Exploding Chickens and Sushi; Part ONE_

Joshua sighed and leaned his head against the window of his corresponding door. His mother and Myron were chatting away about something as important as a paint bucket with _no_ paint inside it.

"Y-Yeah, my p-p-parents are b-b-b-both d-d-doctors at 'S-St. J-J-Jerome's'…"

"Really? That's very good; it's not easy to become a doctor… It's a pretty stressful job…"

He fidgeted in his seat and stared out at the passing vehicles and buildings; a slight drizzle had begun to fall from the bleak and cloudy sky.

_Mr. Wells began to slowly approach his student, his arms folded. "I've known your father, Joshua, for quite sometime…"_

"_Oh, really? I never knew that… Were you guys, uh, friends, or something…?"_

"_I suppose so, in a sense…"_

"_Okay…"_

"_Tell me, Joshua, have you ever been to a town called Silent Hill?"_

"_Silent Hill? Um… never heard of it before…"_

"_Too bad… It's a nice little town, not too far off from here, actually…"_

The exchange he had shared with Mr. Wells the evening before was most definitely strange. The man had seemed tense in those few minutes, but the fact that Henry claimed never knowing Sydney Wells was what truly bothered Joshua.Why would his Mathematics teacher lie? And if it was intentional, what could his motives be?  
Suddenly, a question sprang up in his mind. It wasn't really one of that much importance, but it was something he would have never thought of.  
"Hey, Mom, have you ever been to a town called Silent Hill?"  
Mrs. Townsend was instantly jolted out of her conversation with Myron, her head turning quickly to meet her son's gaze. "Wha… What?"  
"Have you ever been to Silent Hill?"  
Her previous expression of cheerfulness dissipated as she heard the question. "Why… would you ask that, Josh?"  
"I was just curious… Have you?" Mrs. Townsend thought for a moment, her green eyes staring straight ahead. "I went there once… when I was a kid. I remember going to the amusement park and getting a stuffed toy… A, 'Robbie the Rabbit' doll, to be exact…"  
"S-Silent H-H-Hill? I w-w-went there before…" Myron stated.  
"Yes, it's a nice little town… a little foggy, though…"  
The sound of sirens forced all three of them to look up and notice the ambulance speeding by. The music from the radio faded just as the vehicle disappeared behind a building.  
"This just in: a mysterious explosion has injured twenty- one people in North Ashfield. No citizens have been killed, but the police are investigating the source of the blast…" spoke the anchorman as Joshua's mother turned the car down another street.  
"B-B-Blast? We're in t-t-the n-northern area of A-A-A-A-Ashfield…"  
"Hmm… Don't worry about it; we'll be okay."  
"Still, Mom, it's a little weird…"

* * *

"So, sir, what do you need?" asked the Japanese man behind the sushi bar. He was looking curiously at the hooded, black- robed man standing before the counter. "Look, you little Jap! I just want to know where the chickens are!""So, sir, what do you need?"  
"The _chickens_! Where are they!"  
"So, sir, what do you need?"  
"Do you understand what I'm saying!"  
"So-,"  
"Quiet!"  
The man removed a small, rectangular device from a pocket of his robe. "Look, I have the power to make this place go sky high, and I need the chickens to complete my plan! I _know_ you have some of those birdies around… _so let me have them_!"  
Now, this was all taking place within an oriental, Japanese restaurant, so almost the entire amount of customers eating inside had ceased that activity and were now staring, either frightened or bewildered, at the strange man and the clerk behind the sushi bar.  
However, a man stood, clutching a pair of chopsticks in his left hand. "Hey, you can't just barge in here demand chickens! What type of psycho does that type of thing?"  
The robed man turned to look at the man. "Did I tell you to talk back to me! _NO_! As for the chickens, no one would _ever _expect chickens, that are just mindlessly wandering around, to **blow up**! It's a brilliant idea, and if you'd like to contradict it, do so somewhere else, or I'll be forced to blow _everyone here up_!"  
The opposing man quickly sat back down, but the one responsible for the commotion, noticed something outside the window. "I got here too late! Dammit! Okay, everyone stay still! I have to go and see a **client**…" He made a short, maniacal laugh before darting out the entrance and out to the street.

* * *

"Okay, I won't be gone for that long, so you guys could stay in the van or go look around at some of the shops, alright?" confirmed Mrs. Townsend as she looked back into her mode of transportation. Joshua nodded from the passenger seat. "Yeah, I guess we'll look around; that okay, Myron?"  
"Y-Yes…"  
"There you go, then, Mom."  
"Okay, but be careful." And with that, she left and started walking to the somewhat large building looming over the otherwise small parking lot.  
"So, Myron, there's an electronics store nearby; you want to go and check it out?" The geeky boy nodded while unhooking his seat belt. "Y-Yeah, l-l-let's go…"  
The two teenagers exited the vehicle and began the walk over to the 'Ned Dowry's' a block away.  
North Ashfield was usually very active, as a majority of the city's stores, movie theaters, and other facilities were located there. Today, however, was more or less an exception, as it was much quieter than normal. Only a handful of citizens were completing errands or just buying stuff, and some of the shops were even closed for the day.  
"That's kind of weird…" Joshua muttered as they neared the electronic store. Suddenly, though, a series of explosions occurred throughout the various buildings surrounding them. Most of the citizens yelled and screamed in panic, running in all directions as concrete, brick, and steel collapsed.  
"What the hell!" Joshua exclaimed while running back to his mother's van for protection. They both hopped in, apparently out of pure fear, but the doors closed and suddenly locked by themselves.  
"What the hell is this crap?"  
"U-Uh oh…"  
"I wouldn't try escaping… you little incoherent flies!"  
A peculiar figure wearing a black robe with the hood down rose from the floor, sitting down in the driver's seat.  
Instead of screaming in terror, Joshua stared at him strangely. "Hey, aren't you that guy that wanted to blow that restaurant up…?"  
"Yes, and I knew you'd remember because it was you who foiled my previous plan!" he retorted back. "But… I get my revenge now; that first wave was only an appetizer; the main course is on the way!"  
Now that Joshua could look at the man at such close range, he _knew _he was serious. "Wait, you were behind those explosions? And I have no idea what your talking about; I didn't do anything to get in your way."  
"Oh but you did! You distracted me while that stupid Chinese fly called the cops! So, you shall pay the ultimate price!"  
"Uh… dude, who are you anyway?"  
"Me? Well, I am Zeik, Bombing Extraordinaire!"  
"No offense, but that sounds _completely_ made- up…"  
"Well it is! And stop changing the subject! Once I get rid of you and your sidekick, I'll commence with my plot! I just have to get everything ready… but I'm missing the chickens…"  
"W-W-Wait, w-what exactly is g-g-going on…?"  
"Okay, hold on!" Zeik warned. "Both of you will shut up unless I say so, okay!"  
Joshua yawned. "Guy obsessed with explosives, calm down! Myron, I'll deal with this, 'kay?"  
"All r-right…"  
He yawned again before facing Zeik. "Good, now, I'm curious; what exactly do you have planned? I wasn't trying to stop it in any way, so you can't just kill me, or Myron, 'cause he didn't do anything."  
"I don't have time to explain something like that to you! It's a very complex scheme!"  
"Making things explode is complex?"  
"Well, yes!"  
"Right…"  
"Stop acting like you're the one in charge!" Zeik removed the same remote controller from his cloak. "I can _easily_ detonate the mine under this little van!"  
"Wouldn't that mean you go with us too?"  
"Well… damn…"  
Myron chuckled at this but Zeik only fell back into the seat. "I can't just leave you idiots here… you'll get away…"  
"W-W-We're s-stuck h-h-h-h-here, then…?"  
"I guess so…" Joshua answered. He glanced at the, seemingly in thought, pale- faced, twenty- one year old man. "At least for now…"

(…sigh… Another crappy chapter alert!)


	8. Exploding Chickens and Sushi Part TWO

(Ugh… _Another_ chapter… sigh… I need more control over myself…)

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High:_

_Chappy Eight: Exploding Chickens and Sushi; Part TWO_

Joshua glanced around, thinking of various ways to handle the situation. The crazed man sitting to his left was apparently deep in thought, not paying much attention to anything else.

"Uh… you guys want to hear some music…?"  
"S-Sure…"  
Joshua nodded and began to reach for the radio control buttons, but a gloved hand suddenly grabbed his wrist.

"I didn't tell you to put music on… _did I_!"  
The teenager leaned back in the seat and sighed. "We can't do anything?"  
"I told you not to talk! I can _easily_ get away and make this lovely piece of metal go, '**KABOOM!**', but I'm thinking!"

Joshua decided to keep silent as Zeik groaned and removed a green notebook from his cloak, placing it on the dashboard and flipping the cover up. He took out a pencil from a pocket and began to write.  
"Okay… This is what I'm going to do…" he began while writing in the notebook. "This van has an explosive attached to the bottom of it, and a mine located underneath it. If you drive, you die, or, I can let the bomb attached, go off. Now, this is all a precautionary measure; I've decided to _not_ kill you two, because I have more important matters to deal with…"  
"Wait… this was all for nothing!" Joshua exclaimed. "You make us sit in my mom's car for fifteen minutes… and it didn't even affect anything!" he yelled while standing abruptly, but hitting his head on the way up.  
"Hey, that's not my fault!" Zeik responded with a shout while rising to his feet, quickly, as well; however, as he also banged his head against the roof of the van, the remote controller in his cloak fell and clattered to the floor. A fait, beeping sound alerted the three that the switch had been pressed.  
"We have _exactly_ five seconds before that goes off!" Zeik stated in a hurried, careless manner. Almost instantly, the three flung open the doors and dashed outside. Within mere moments, the vehicle exploded in a blaze of fire and metal, the resulting shock propelling them a little ways forward.  
"Oh… _crap_!" Joshua gasped as he turned on his back before standing up and rubbing his ribcage. "That… _hurt_!" he said as Myron stood, shakily relaxing himself.  
Zeik flipped back onto his feet, gazing at the now charred van. "Whoa…"  
Joshua, however, was paying no attention to him and was slowly approaching the remnants of the car. "No…No, no, _no_! Now Mom is _seriously_ going to kill me…" He slumped to the street in defeat as Myron stumbled over to him. "J-J-Josh! He's g-g-getting away!"  
Zeik was certainly in the midst of escaping; he was running quite quickly down the street. Joshua looked up, and, with the intent of revenge, sprinted after him.  
"W-Wait!" Myron called before starting to follow, however, he was forced to stop and take a breath with his inhaler.  
"Get back here!" Joshua yelled while chasing the crazed individual down an alleyway and onto another street.  
"Stay away!"  
Zeik threw a small, round structure behind him; upon touching the street it imploded, releasing a mass of dark, gray smoke. It spread across the ground quickly, blinding, as well as stopping, Joshua.

He covered his mouth and nose and hurled himself through the smokescreen, only to find that he had disappeared…

* * *

"Oh, okay; so anything else I should know?" Nicole asked as Christian looked through his notebook. They were both standing near the entrance of the school; many of the students preferred to wait outside rather than inside the building. 

"No, there wasn't any homework for Science or Band; why were you absent on Tuesday, anyway?" he asked while putting his backpack down and placing the purple notebook inside of it.  
"I had to go to my grandfather's funeral…"

"Oh, I'm sorry about that…""No, it's all right…" she replied as the sound of footsteps on damp grass and mud approached them.  
"Hey," Joshua said with a small wave. Christian looked up at him before smiling. "Hello Josh, what's up?"  
The teenage Townsend shrugged. "Nothing much; I really didn't feel like coming to school today anyway." Nicole cocked her head to the left. "Weren't you on the news yesterday?"  
"Yesterday? Yeah, they just asked me a few questions about the explosions in North Ashfield. I told them there were a lot more bombs left."  
"That's strange… Wasn't there an incident at that new restaurant?" Christian inquired. Joshua nodded. "Yeah, I was there too; it's the same guy."  
"You met the person responsible for the explosions?" their female acquaintance asked as she leaned against the wall. "Zeik? Oh yeah, he's a really nice guy," he responded in sarcasm.

* * *

Zeik stumbled over some obstructions as he limped through the dark room. He cursed under his breath and reached for the long, metallic switch which would turn on the light bulb hanging from the center of the ceiling.With a gentle pull, the dim light faded on, casting shadows around the decaying, wooden room. Stacks of paper lye against the right wall, and cardboard boxes along with metal and plaster structures were scattered about the floor. In the center of the mess was a desk, and atop this desk lay several sheets of paper. They depicted different designs and plans of different mechanisms and things.  
Zeik shook his head and grabbed a small orange bottle. Quickly twisting the cap off, he poured five of the bottle's capsules into his hand before letting them into his mouth. Taking a moment to swallow, he glanced around his surroundings.  
"That stupid kid… I _should_ have gotten rid of him, dammit…"  
"Perhaps we could assist you…"  
Zeik spun around to see three hooded people standing in the doorway of the room. The man who had spoken began to slowly advance.  
"How…?"  
"How did we get in here? It matters not. We mean you no harm in any case."  
"What the hell do you want?" demanded the black- haired man as he backed up against the wall. The hooded person chuckled. "We need only a few minutes to speak with you, and after we are done with that, I have a proposal for you…"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Our brothers and sisters… they have sacrificed much for the coming of God… Yet, our brotherhood if faltering… only a handful of us remain, and we have only one more chance to bring about the birth of God…"  
Zeik's right eyebrow rose as he slowly shuffled away from the men. "Heh heh… are you sure you all don't need some help…? Like professional help…?"  
The man shook his head. "The previous mother of God is no longer capable of serving that purpose… however, she could prove to be useful… I give you this option: join us, become a follower of God… and if you take my offer, you shall be given the greatest power ever imaginable. The recognition you deserve, perhaps…?"  
Zeik had been staring at the floor as the man had spoken, and he folded his arms while looking up. "The recognition I deserve… Yes… Fine, I accept; I never really was a man of religion, though…"  
"No matter… Now, come with us…" 

(Okay… So I guess I will be adding the Silent Hill cult into this story… Well, remember to review.)


	9. And so it begins

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High  
_

_Chappy Nine: And so it begins…_

Henry opened his tired eyes slowly, the rays of the morning sun illuminating the somewhat large bedroom. He took a moment to adjust to the faint light before sitting up.  
His wife slept peacefully to his left, and the comforter and bed sheets were messily covering them both. He looked up at the rotating ceiling fan for a second before standing up, leaving a small peck on his wife's forehead, and walking out of the room.  
As he walked through the equally gray hallway towards the bathroom, Henry's mind began to wander back…  
He had never really gotten over the incident with Walter Sullivan. Of course, wouldn't you find it difficult to overcome something _so_ traumatic? I mean, the psycho locked him in his apartment for about six days! He was also forced to see people die or already be dead. However, Henry did learn a few things from those six days; for one, he'd never assume a person to be eighteen or nineteen if he looked it… For they could actually be thirty.  
He sighed as he reached his goal: the bathroom door. However, rather than opening it, Henry stared at it reflectively, frowning. 'What guarantee is there that there won't be another hole…? How do I know _he's_ really dead?' he pondered before backing away.  
'No, he has to be dead… has to be…'

* * *

The bleak, gray sky stretched out as far as the eye could see. A multitude of vehicles sped down the black asphalt, each driving towards a destination only known to the ones behind the wheels. The citizens of Ashfield could be seen completing their tasks and errands, and the subway was as active as ever…  
It was shameful.  
How could such a society exist? Was evolution this simple? No. There is always something that controls… like a puppeteer… and the many people are only puppets…  
The man's wrinkled face transformed into an expression of malice as he stared down at the city block. White hair, matching with the sky, covered his scalp, neatly combed, and his dark robes gracefully hung above his boots. His skin held a fair tan as well.  
Yet, the one thing, or should I say object, that stood out the most was definitely the blood red medallion hanging from his neck. An elaborate pendulum was deeply etched within the stone, and it was this that the man took the most care of.  
A door swung open, revealing the form of a male in his early twenties; his jet black hair spiked ever so slightly.  
The man had noticed Zeik immediately, and without turning, he grimaced.  
"Look at them… like ants… they disrespect the very ground they walk on…"  
"So… What did you want, old man?"  
"That would be Jeremy, to you…" stated the man as he turned around. "Come… look at how disgusting this very sight is…"  
Zeik walked up beside Jeremy, and glanced down at the street. "I don't want to waste five minutes looking at the ground; what the hell do you want?" Jeremy chuckled, smirking.  
"I've been searching sixteen years for the Chosen One… and I believe my efforts will finally be rewarded…"  
"Could you _please _start making sense?"  
"Our brotherhood was faltering sixteen years ago… The daughter of Leonard Wolf, a respected brother, attempted to bring about the birth of God, the one who will lead us to Paradise… To our misfortune, she failed miserably, and Alessa escaped, however, all was not lost; a healthy baby boy was the only thing left from God… We believed the boy was our last chance, the reincarnation of the soul of Samael…We took him to the orphanage, but… he was lost…"  
"Okay… what?"  
"That all happened sixteen years ago, and it's time he was found."  
"Wait… you think the kid's here?"  
"Yes… He should be a teenager now, extremely influenced by whoever had taken him in. This may be our final chance… This is why we need your assistance, Zeik; we both have separate ideals and goals, but if we work together, we could assist each other in so many ways…"  
Zeik stroked his chin while slowly pacing around. "So, if I help you find the kid… you'll help me show those idiots… right?"  
"Correct."  
"Okay, great… So… how are we going to find him?"  
"Allow me to worry about that, my friend; for now, just relax… and prepare…"

* * *

Joshua pressed the channel changing button his remote controller repeatedly, searching for something to watch. Saturdays were always pretty bland and boring. His parents didn't usually work, and they just moped around the house. Henry would normally be on the computer, his wife either running errands, sleeping, or watching television. Joshua would be doing the same, but he'd listen to some music or play a few video games.  
"Damn… Nothing on T.V.," he murmured before rising from his bed and exiting his room.  
He yawned while entering the living room and plopping down on the couch beside his mother, who was snacking on some crackers and watching a movie; this movie was one owned by the Townsend family; it was not being shown on television.  
"I actually _want_, to go to school today…"  
"Don't worry about it so much, Josh; I'm bored too."  
A few moments passed in silence, besides the sounds coming from the television set, before Joshua leaned forward, a thoughtful expression planted on his face. "How did you meet, Dad, Mom?"  
"Huh?"  
"Dad; how did you meet him?"  
Mrs. Townsend thought for a moment, fidgeting uncomfortably in her seat. "Well… Um, we lived nearby each other, and after we met… I guess it just, 'clicked'."  
"Clicked?"  
"Yes, 'clicked'."  
Joshua glanced at the floor as he stood up from the couch. "Thanks for… not helping me much with deciding how I'm going to find a wife… No, wait, I won't get married; yeah, perfect. Who cares about _love_, and _happiness_, and _having children_, which means also having _sex_…"  
He nodded to himself and walked over to the door. "I'm going for a walk; I'll be back in like, fifteen minutes."  
And so Joshua departed, leaving his bewildered mother to stare at the closed door.

* * *

Christian took a sip of hot cocoa from his black mug as he typed in the words, 'Silent Hill', on the search engine bar. He scanned the results with his eyes before clicking on the first link.  
Christian usually typed or looked up certain things on the internet on Saturday nights. It was something he started doing since he moved to Ashfield two years ago. He had originally lived in Pleasant River with his adoptive family.  
He leaned back in his leather computer chair while jotting down a few motes on his notepad. 'So, there was a fire there quite some while back… A cult…?'  
For some reason, when he had first seen the name of 'Silent Hill', it had sparked his interest exponentially. It was in an old newspaper clipping in the local library, which Christian found while doing research for a History project.  
'What's the deal with this cult that keeps popping up… Huh… There was the murder of Billy and Miriam Locaine… that's not what I'm looking for…"  
He shook his head before reaching for the phone to the right of his computer. 'Something happened with this town… I have to find out what…' he thought while picking up the phone and beginning to dial a number.

* * *

**REVIEW RESPONSES:**

_Servo_: Yes, how truly unfortunate for the Townsend van. I'd also like to mention that I know it's really 'Townshend', but I felt like going with a more correct name. The plot's going to get more interesting from now on, but also expect some chapters that are just pointless and don't have any connections to the story, okay? I will be explaining the puppy… sooner or later.

_diddly day: _As you can see, this isn't just mainly centered on Silent Hill 4. You can expect more from The Order and Zeik as it goes on. As for the length of the chapters, I know it was a short one; I tried to make this one a little longer, but bear with me, 'kay?

(All in all, the plot just 'came' to me early this morning. Well, I hope you enjoyed it.)


	10. Curiosity towards the Unknown

(This chapter may be a little darker than the previous ones, but I assure you it's for the sake of the plot.)

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Ten: Curiosity towards the Unknown_

A fourteen year- old Joshua Townsend sat patiently on the comfortable, leather- cushioned couch. He stared curiously at a painting on the opposite wall, ignoring the bookcase behind the couch and its numerous hard bound volumes. The leather and carpet shared the same ruby shade, but the painting is what stood out from the rest of the room.  
It depicted a marvelous garden; broken concrete pillars and overgrown hedges made it feel surreal in some way… like a place only found in a fairytale…  
"Joshua? Joshua?"  
His head slowly turned to meet the gaze of the woman sitting behind the hard, wooden desk. Her glasses reflected the room in entirety, but the lack of lighting, besides the light from the open windows, made her seem menacing in a way.  
"Oh… Is it already time to start, Ms. Hopkins?"  
"Yes it is; are you ready? Do you need to rest?"  
"No, I'm fine; but how many more sessions do I need? This is already my fourth visit."  
"I'm doing everything I can to understand what this 'puppy' is and how it's affecting you. But for now, just be patient; in all my years of being a psychiatrist, I've never heard of people claiming a puppy is stalking them."  
Before Joshua could respond, however, his eyes widened in fear. The temperature dropped drastically as a pair of rough, callous hand slid around Ms. Hopkins's throat.  
The teenager rose carefully from his seat, unable to shout or say anything as the woman reached for the hands, trying futilely to stop them from crushing her neck.  
It was over in a few seconds however, as the hands released their victim to slump to the ground, the head and right hand still atop the desk.  
Joshua backed away, his eyes locked on the shadow rising from behind Ms. Hopkins's chair. It was a man, dressed in a light blue trench coat. He wore long, beige pants from what Joshua discerned in the darkness. Darkness? Was it not in the middle of the afternoon just a minute ago…?  
Faded blonde streaks stretched downward around the man's face, casting a shadow on his features. "Finally…" he said in a somewhat loud tone before starting to approach the frightened Townsend. "Finally… finally… finally…"

* * *

Joshua sprang up in his bed, sweat covering his face. "Dammit… What the hell was that…?" he muttered before glancing around the room. 'Great, it's already six- thirty,' he thought before his head fell back onto the pillow.

* * *

"J-Josh?" Myron asked as he tapped the teenager on the shoulder. Joshua stirred slightly, his head rising from his backpack. "What…?"  
"Are y-y-y-you okay…? Aren't y-you g-g-g-g-going to eat?"  
Joshua shook his head as Myron sat across from him with his lunch tray. "I didn't get much sleep this past weekend; plus, I had this freaky dream…"  
"W-What was it a-a-about?"  
"Well-,"  
"Josh! I was looking for you!" stated Christian as he took a seat beside Myron. He was clutching a packet of paper in his left hand, and he seemed deprived of sleep.  
"Oh, Christian… What's up?"  
Christian slid the packet over to Joshua before rubbing his eyes. "I've been doing a lot of research on that town," he said as Joshua skimmed through the first page. "Silent Hill? You've been doing research on a tourist town that's been deserted for about twenty years? Why… _the hell_ would you be doing that?"  
Christian sighed as he grabbed the packet from Joshua. "While I was looking for a book to use in my History project, I found an old newspaper. There was a story there, about a fire in the nearby town of Silent Hill; it took place… around thirty years ago. I thought it was interesting, so I decided to find out a little more about; but I just kept finding out more, and more. Did you know that there was a secret cult operating within the town? The cult made use of a certain drug… I think it was called 'White Claudia'…?"  
Joshua scratched his nose. "A cult? You mean like, Satanists?"  
"Well, yeah…" 

"Okay…"  
"But I think… that the cult was behind the fire. I can't really say why, but I'm going to visit the library again, to see if I can find anything else useful."  
Myron had been listening to all this intently, and he looked up at the now standing blonde. "W-W-Why w-would you devote s-so m-m-m-m-much time t-to this…?"  
Christian shrugged. "I guess it's really just curiosity towards the unknown…"  
"What are you all looking at?"  
The three of them looked up to see Mr. Wells standing near Joshua, his brown coat waving ever so slightly. He was looking at the packet of papers lying on the table curiously. "Oh, it's no-," Christian stopped when the Mathematics teacher grasped the papers in his right hand and brought them up six inches from his face.  
All was quiet between them as he read the contents of the first page. He cocked his right eyebrow up before dropping the packet on the cafeteria table. "If I were you, I wouldn't delve too deep into what you're trying to unearth. Silent Hill is a forgotten place; don't allow people to remember it."  
With that, Mr. Wells walked away and out of the cafeteria, leaving the confused three to stare at each other. "Okay, it's confirmed that Mr. Wells is weird, really weird…" Joshua stated as he stood up. "Well, I'm going to start getting to my next class; there's only three minutes of Lunch left, anyway." He slung his backpack over his shoulders and began to walk to the exit. "Okay, see you later," Christian remarked as he gathered up the papers and placed them in his backpack.

* * *

Nicole slid the bookmarker between the two pages and closed the novel. 'Why'd you have to move away, Uncle James…? You'd always pick me and Michael up after school… but I guess after Aunt Mary…' she thought while looking up at the many cars and students around.  
She sighed before putting the book away into her bag and leaning against the bench… but a finger suddenly tapped her left shoulder.  
Nicole, startled, stood up and spun around to see Joshua standing behind the bench. "Whoa, are you okay?"  
She nodded quickly. "Y-Yeah, you just scared me… What is it?"  
"Oh yeah… um… do you know where Christian is? I have to talk to him about something." 

Nicole thought for a moment before answering, "I think he went to Ms. Mason's class; he said that when he went to her class to ask her for something, he left something there, but I don't know what."  
"Did he go to ask about the author project?"  
"I think so…"  
"Okay, thanks!"

* * *

Ms. Mason pushed the power button on her computer monitor and watched the screen fade into black as she slid her purse over her arm and stood up. Everything in the classroom seemed fine, but a packet of about five pages was apparently on top of a desk in the corner of the room. 

She swiftly walked out from behind her desk and over to the packet. Ms. Mason picked it up and flipped through the pages. A few had been, presumably, printed out from a computer printer, while the two others had been typed.

From just reading the first paragraph, however, she cringed. 'Silent Hill… Dammit…'  
"Uh, Ms. Mason? I think that's mine…"  
Christian had just gotten to the classroom and was now standing in the doorway as he saw his teacher read his packet. She looked up at him, theirs eyes making contact.  
It was as this moment that the blonde teenager was left speechless. He saw something peculiar in the eyes of his English teacher; it felt familiar, yet at the same time, it frightened him. 'Is this… fear…?'  
After a moment though, Ms. Mason backed away. "Oh, I'm sorry; here…" She handed the packet of pages over to her student, and he slowly snatched it away. "Yeah, thanks…"

* * *

"Do you think Jeremy knows exactly what he's doing? This Zeik doesn't sound very trustful at all…"  
The nineteen year- old male shook his head as he sat in the farthest pew near the entrance of the church. "That old fool knows nothing," he replied coldly. "He is much too loyal to his 'God' and his faith…"  
He stood and looked up at the podium before the altar and the large, wooden cross hanging from the ceiling. "A simple little trinket to represent what? After that pathetic occurrence so many years ago, that cross means nothing… absolutely nothing…"  
The black- haired woman stroked her chin thoughtfully. "So then, Noah, what do you propose we do?"  
"We wait until the time is right," Noah began, "and then we can strike those fools down with the very tool they search for…"  
"The boy?"  
"Yes… but we must be wary…"  
"For what?" 

The darkly haired adult walked to the exit of the building, his black coat swaying behind him. "There are other forces present… and they all present a threat…"  
Noah then opened the door and walked out.


	11. Something Involving Something

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Eleven: Something Involving Something_

Another strike of lightning signaled another boom of thunder as the storm raged on outside the Townsend household and all over the city of Ashfield. It was, once again, the end of another week of school and work, and this day known as Friday came as a saving grace for many.

Henry took a sip of coffee as he leaned against the green, marble counter in the kitchen; he was staring at the newspaper his wife was reading as she was sitting down at the kitchen table.

In truth, Henry had been feeling uneasy the entire week. He had this feeling of dread in his stomach, and as much as he tried to rid himself of it, it just would not cease to be there.

It was the exact same feeling he got when he saw the chains…

"Hello, dear parents…" Joshua stepped into the room, fully dressed, his hair a bit of a mess, and his backpack over his shoulder. His mother looked up at him as he rubbed his eyes. "What's the matter, honey? It's a little early… Did you sleep well?"

The teenager walked over to the refrigerator and opened it, scanning its insides. "Well… let's just say that the next time you two decide to 'express your love for each other', could you do so in a quieter manner? I was awake for two hours, saw two episodes of _Law and Order_, and actually read a book."

Mrs. Townsend was left speechless for a moment as Joshua grasped a granola bar and closed the refrigerator door. "Oh, I'll be walking to school today; the rain should wake me up…"

He then turned to his father. "Hey, at least I can scratch off _Cialis XG_ on my list of birthday presents for you, right Dad?" he asked in a joking manner.

Henry just nodded slowly and looked up at his son, making eye contact. "Be careful, okay?" The way he spoke surprised Joshua, along with his wife; Henry was never this serious, and his tone was shaky, in a way.

"Yeah, sure…" Joshua replied, a hint of uncertainty in his voice, before he left the house.

Mrs. Townsend rose from the chair and stared fearfully at her husband. "What's wrong, Henry? What is it?"

"It's… No, nothing… I'm fine…"

* * *

"And so, class, that-,"

A knock on the classroom door interrupted Mr. Wells, and most of the students turned their heads to the door. The Mathematics instructor sighed and placed the piece of chalk down before walking to the door and opening it.

After conversing with the woman outside the room, Mr. Wells backed away, allowing a teenage Asian girl to step inside. She had raven black hair, with a few red streaks running through it; most likely the work of a hair stylist. She wore an orange shirt with long black sleeves, and both her jeans and Converse shoes were black, as well.

Her hair was long, slightly covering the abstract design on the center of her shirt.

She had this quirky smile on her face though, and it didn't seem to fade…

"Alright, class, say hello to Miss Naomi Takahashi; she is our newest student, coming from New York City itself! Well, Miss Takahashi, you can go ahead and take a seat next to Joshua Townsend."

"Is he the one asleep?"

"Hmm… yes he is… Joshua!"

The teenager stirred slightly, his head rising and turning to see his teacher. "Oh, sorry sir… I didn't get much sleep…"

"It's quite all right, Joshua, but this is your newest classmate, Naomi; she'll be sitting next to you for the time being."

Mr. Wells smiled and sped to the front of the room as Naomi sat down in the desk beside Joshua's.

* * *

"For the last time, Chris, it's just a damn town…"

Christian took a bite out of his sandwich as he flipped through his mahogany colored folder. He had been gathering information on Silent Hill and the cities around it since Tuesday, when he realized there was a strange connection between Ashfield and Silent Hill.

"But it's so interesting, Josh; there were, for example, several murders that took place in Silent Hill and in Ashfield; they were all by the same killer."

"Coincidence…? There's like a forty mile distance between the two…"

Joshua sighed and let his head fall back onto his backpack as Myron sat down at the cafeteria table. "H-Hey g-g-guys…"

"Hi…" the blonde said while dropping the folder back in his backpack. "Well, at least it's Friday, right?"

Myron nodded as Joshua continued sleeping.

* * *

"So, you like Ashfield High, Chris?" Joshua inquired while his blonde friend watched an ant scurry across the concrete sidewalk they were walking on.

"Yeah, it's okay… Hold on, since we started walking home, have you noticed it stopped raining…?"

"Um… yeah, I did…"

Christian stopped walking completely and looked up at the gray sky. "Ever since the first day of school, the sun hasn't actually shown, you know? It's either raining, or just cloudy, but in these last two weeks, not a clear day at all…"

"So? What about it?"

"It doesn't make sense… There's something… something wrong…" Christian began to walk into the street, possibly unknowing of what he was doing. Joshua watched him do this, but his attention was caught by something else… a puppy, to be exact.

"No way… Crap…"

His head swung to the right, suddenly seeing a red car gliding down the street. Coming from the left was also another vehicle, a van, to be specific. Both showed no signs of stopping, and as they drew closer to colliding with the oblivious Christian, Joshua ran to the edge of the street.

"Christian, look out!"

The blonde teenager's head spun around to stare directly at the driver of the red automobile. The man driving finally took notice and swerved to the left; the one controlling the van suddenly did the same, only to the right.

And to the unfortunate Joshua they both sped at…

* * *

Cheryl Mason took a small sip of her coffee as she leaned back in the wooden chair. She always came to this same café every Saturday; it was not a very large structure, but a good sum of people would come.

The television set above the cashier's counter was currently displaying the news, and Cheryl, rather than watching, only listened.

"The two teenage boys involved in the crash a little ways off from Ashfield High School were not harmed, but the police and ambulance were slightly surprised that the two vehicles had rammed into the exact same tree, at the exact same angle. Fortunately, the two drivers only suffered minor broken bones…"

"Hello, Ms. Mason…"

She looked up to see a young man standing beside the table she sat at. He had quite dark hair, but it was by no means black, unlike the long coat he wore. He was wearing, however, a peculiar red medallion.

"May I have a seat?"

Cheryl nodded, her eyes never leaving the medallion.

"So I see your cult still goes on…"

"Well, not exactly… It's barely clinging to life; we have no actual funding, and our members are far off and between."

"Get to the point; I'm not involved with this anymore; you're sixteen years too late."

Noah chuckled. "Too bad, because I came to discuss something, should I say, very important…"

"Just get to the point."

"Alright, I will… The other members of the cult… they're searching for a teenage boy, older than thirteen, but younger than sixteen… In other words, your son."

Cheryl shook her coffee cup slightly, looking down at the ripples forming in the brownish liquid.

"I never had a son; I never had any children."

"That's what you think, but allow me to explain…" Noah leaned forward ever so little, before speaking.

"You never, _really_, killed the premature god Claudia Wolf gave birth to. Instead, its soul took another form, and as its grotesque shell died, it became a male baby."

"Wait-,"

"What was left of the cult took the baby and began to raise it, but, they were a little too reckless, and they lost the baby; it disappeared one day in the forest near the town of Silent Hill, but those idiots think it was found, taken in by some person… They've been trying to find it all these years… and now, they think the baby, or the teenager it is now, is living here, in Ashfield."

"So… what do you want me to do? It's not my business…"

"Oh, you don't have to do anything, just realize, that this isn't over. I know that all of this resulted in your father's death, but he wasn't even your father. You're exactly like that boy, maybe somewhat different, but basically the same."

Cheryl sighed and continued staring at the spot of the chair between her legs. She did not respond and Noah stood up. "By the way, I'm not like them; in the end, though, if they succeed, that boy will be the end of it."

He shrugged and walked over to her, his hand outstretched. "Oh, I forgot; I am Noah Franklin; nice to meet you."

* * *

**AUTHOR NOTES**

(I'm quite satisfied with the way the story is coming out, but I'm at an absence of what will happen in the next few chapters, so an update may not come so soon.)


	12. Strange Occurences

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Twelve: Strange Occurences_

It was immensely dark behind the cracked windows of the hospital room; pure, complete blackness, surrounding the room in entirety. A weak light was emanating from a small light bulb stationed above the headrest of the bed, illuminating the bed, its occupant, and about a foot away in all directions.

Christian awoke suddenly, his eyes darting around. A muffled, inhuman growl could be heard from outside the room, and the teenager began to tremble in fear.

_Why are you so afraid?_

Voices flooded his head, mostly female, but all were jumbled together, asking questions and saying things he did not understand.

_Mary's going to die…?_

That one voice stuck in his head; it was male…

_What'll I do if you die?_

Soon each voice became louder, and they became more and more clear, grouping together.

_My daughter will be the mother of God!_

_This is a nightmare... It can't be happening…_

_The truth is… part of me hated you..._

Christian grasped his head; it was too painful to bear. The growls from outside grew louder and louder, and he screamed…

* * *

His eyes shot open, beads of sweat running down his face. He was lying in a bed, and from what he inferred, he was in a hospital room. A nice, warm, morning light seeped through the window to Christian's right. 

He picked up the sound of voices outside; they were human, unlike the growls from his dream.

The door suddenly opened, revealing Joshua, in his attire from the day before, holding two paper cups. "Hey, you're awake," he stated while pushing the door closed with his foot.

"Joshua? Why… Why are you here? Why am I in the hospital?"

The brown- haired teenager thought for a moment before placing a cup of coffee onto the small, wooden stand beside the bed. "Um… Well, yesterday, after school, you almost got hit by two cars, but then they swerved, and came straight towards me. I guess dove out of the way, and both of them crashed into the tree directly behind me; yeah, that sums it up. You collapsed, unconscious, onto the street, and then I called '9-1-1' with my cell phone."

While Joshua had been explaining, Christian had been inspecting the coffee Joshua brought him. "You drink coffee?"

"Uh… yeah…"

"Oh… so what else happened…?"

"You didn't wake up until right now, and I donated some blood, which caused me to faint, so they, and my parents, let me spend the night here, and I woke up half an hour ago."

"I see…" Christian took a gulp of the brown, creamy liquid, his eyes closing. "Josh," he started as he set the cup down. "Did you see a puppy, yesterday?"

"W-What?" The question had caught the teenager off- guard.

"Did you see a puppy running towards me, yesterday, when I walked out into the street?"

"Yeah… I did see it… why?"

"I thought I was hallucinating… I swear it wasn't there when we were walking on the sidewalk…"

* * *

"Yes, grandfather… I'll make sure…" Melissa Blackheart turned the cell phone off and stuck it in one of her pant pockets while stopping before a red light. The rain this specific Saturday was coming down quite hard; more furious than ever in the last few days. 

"Hey, Mel, where the hell are we going?" asked the short-haired blonde girl. She was wearing all black; her shirt, jacket, everything… Her eyeliner was extremely dark as well. The twenty year-old sitting to her right in the backseat was smiling eerily, twiddling a pocket knife in his hand. His bright red hair was messily strewn about.

"Why do you ask?" Melissa responded, pushing on the accelerator. "Me and Alexis are starving! Do we _reall_y need to meet with that Zeik guy?"

"Grandfather wants us to…"

"Yeah, well, I know Jeremy's all urgenty- like but we're so hungry! I'm sure Noah is, too, right Noah?"

The nineteen year- old sitting in the passenger seat shrugged. "I could care less about food at the moment…"

Melissa brushed back a strand of raven black hair and sighed. "Oh, fine; I guess we might as well get a little food; Alexis, what's the nearest fast food restaurant?"

The carrot top's grin grew larger. "Queen Burger… two blocks; east…"

"Alright, then…"

Catherine, the blonde, left out a happy cry as Alexis just continued grinning and playing with the knife.

"I guess I'll order…" Noah said as they drove in front of the large, metal menu. "But you don't even know what-," Catherine began to protest, but was interrupted by the voice coming from the menu.

"Yes?"

Noah rolled down his window and leaned his head slightly through it. "Yes, I'd like to order two kid's meals, one double meat combo, and a small Caesar salad."

"Okay, sir, that'll be $10.56…"

Noah nodded inwardly and reached into his coat pocket, removing a ten dollar bill and three quarters. 'That's nineteen cents in return…'

Catherine pulled herself forward between the front seats. "And just _who_ were the kid's meals for?" Noah shrugged. "You and Alexis; the salad was for me and the combo for Melissa."

As the blonde kept on whining, Melissa drove the car forward, stopping beside the pick- up window.

It slid open, allowing a girl, wearing the Queen Burger uniform, to stretch her arm out and take the money. After depositing it in the cash register, she handed nineteen cents back to Noah, in the form of three nickels and four pennies. He dropped them in his coat pocket before taking the bag held out to him.

"Thank you, come again!" exclaimed the girl as they rode away.

"Hey, who was that?" inquired a co-worker of the girl as he looked out the window.

"Oh, just some Goths… nothing to worry about…"


	13. Nothing Good

(I'm running out of freaking ideas… Damn… If any of people reading this story have any ideas, **_tell me!_** Yeah, problem is, I know what's going to happen near the end and at the end, but I don't have squat about what's going on in- between now and then. Hmm… I'll just think up some stupid stuff with the cult… No… Maybe… Grr…)

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Thirteen: Nothing Good_

"Perfect! It works!" Zeik lifted the ash covered goggles and smiled gleefully. He ran over to the rail and bent over slightly, watching as the waves calmed. The bomb had been powerful enough to create quite a disturbance in Lake Toluca, and the results were much greater than Zeik predicted.

"That was quite a spectacle; how long did it take to prepare?"

The black- haired man turned around to see a male, presumably nineteen years of age, walk up beside him. "I am quite curious…"

"Are you another one of those freaks?" Zeik asked while removing the goggles. "Well, I can't say I'm entirely one of them… They're all idiots, actually, not even Melissa knows…"

"I don't know what you came to talk about, but just leave me the hell out of it; I'm not interested in demonic voodoo."

Noah nodded, closing his eyes. "I only came to introduce myself… I can safely assume we both don't care much about Jeremy's plans… But tell me, why did you agree to help him and the others?"

Zeik chuckled before falling onto the ground, the glare from the sun causing him to squint. "Why do _you_ care? I don't even give a damn anymore…"

Noah shrugged. "There are many things in this world that I've questioned since I was a boy… I'm sure you have, as well…"

He sighed and began to walk away, his gloved hands tucked firmly in his coat. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I have something I have to take care of… It'll take about an hour to get from here to Ashfield, but it has been nice talking to you; farewell."

* * *

"Are you _sure_ you're all right, Josh?"

"I'm _fine_, Mom; I just donated some blood and fainted. It's not a big deal."

Henry massaged his forehead lightly with his left hand while his wife and son conversed. This headache had been coming on since Joshua had left for school the previous morning, and it only continued to worsen.

'Damn… Can't go into that hospital without feeling horrible… Wait…'

Henry's eyes widened somewhat at the sudden realization. 'Why the hell hadn't I realized it before…?… No, that's ridiculous…'

* * *

"Hey! There was a toy inside the bag!" Catherine squealed with glee while tearing the plastic bag open and taking out the small yo-yo. "It's a yo-yo! We never played with these at Wish House!" she said before grasping the small hamburger with her free left hand and taking a bite out of it.

Alexis merely set his yo-yo and the bag of food down beside his feet, his eerie smile failing to just fade away…

* * *

Joshua yawned while his father stepped on the brakes, stopping the car before another red light. He then looked out the window to his right, seeing directly into the next vehicle.

There was a blonde girl nibbling away at a hamburger seated near the window across from him. There also seemed to be a red- haired male to the girl's right, but it was difficult for Joshua to see completely.

The girl, for some reason, also raised her head and stared out the window, both pairs of eyes making contact. She seemed to have stopped chewing.

However, Joshua's gaze floated down to the medallion hanging from her neck. 'That's weird…'

* * *

Catherine swallowed down the rest of the food she had been chewing and turned to the other three. "Guys, there's some freaky kid looking at me! He's in the other car!"

Noah's head moved slightly left, allowing him to get a glimpse of the boy. He was, from the looks of it, a teenager with slightly long, brown hair. "He's not looking at _you_, but rather your medallion… the 'Halo of the Sun'…"

"But he's still freaky! He won't stop looking at it!"

"Then don't pay attention to him. Soon, the lights will turn green and his car will drive off…"

* * *

Joshua noticed the blonde had turned away and was now speaking with a man in the front passenger seat. He shook his head before leaning back and deciding to get a little rest.

* * *

Christian collapsed onto the bed in the center of his room, his eyes shut. He lay there for a moment, thinking.

'That dream… what was it…? Who's Mary?'

He sat up, staring at his computer. "Mary… Mary Sunderland… Wait, what…?"

Christian walked over to his computer, eyeing it slowly. "I guess I could look it up… but where did 'Sunderland' come from? I swear I just thought of it…"

(Damn, a short chapter… I have to think…)


	14. Time's up

(Hmm… Well, I decided to respond to my reviews and suggestions right now.)

_MichelLover67:_ Thanks for the suggestion, but I doubt I'll be using it. Besides, if you have it in mind for a future story, I'd rather not "steal" your idea.

_Servo:_ I like most of your ideas, and I don't mean this in any offense to MichelLover67. I basically told you the ones I would use in the reply to your e-mail.

_SageoWind218:_ Thanks for your review. Yeah, the fact that I'm using the offspring or younger relatives of the main characters of the series is the reason I think this story's been as successful as it has been.

_SilverGato: _Well, the idea to use relatives was inspired by another story on this site, which was centered around Walter Sullivan having a son. This made me think about that person causing all the havoc and by some chance Henry had a son as well. Plus, I thought the idea was really original; how many of these stories do you see around here?

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Fourteen: Time's up_

Cheryl Mason stared at her desk for the longest time, deep in thought. Aside from the ticking of the timer clock she had placed on the front of her desk, the classroom was in complete silence.

'…should contact him… but… Who could it be…?'

"Ms. Mason?"

She looked up, half expecting to see a Closer beast standing before the desk, but it was only Christian, holding his test paper out to her.

"Y-You're already finished?"

"It was pretty easy, at least in my opinion."

She took the paper from him as he backed away and went back to his seat; Joshua watched him in the corner of his eye, wincing. '_Easy_? Damn, it's only been fifteen minutes since the start!'

* * *

"I think I broke my spleen…"

Christian chuckled at this, while Myron only adjusted his glasses.

"You can't really break your spleen…"

"Well I think I did," responded Joshua as they turned left into another hallway. Myron shrugged.

"Oh, come on, that basketball game wasn't that bad."

Joshua rubbed the back of his neck as they neared a stairwell. "To you, maybe; if you hadn't been on our team we would've been screwed… I hate those damn three- team thingies…"

"S-So, uh, w-w-what class d-do you h-h-have n-next?" Myron inquired as they advanced downwards. "We both have Art," Christian answered as they stepped onto the first floor.

"Yeah... What about that drawing thing we were working on with Nicole?"

"She said she would work a little on it at her house."

"N-Nicole's in your c-c-c-class?"

"Oh yeah, she sits at our table. Only problem is, _I_ have to all the damn work while she and Chris flirt!"

"Flirt? We don't… flirt."

"Then what do you call what you two do in class?"

"Well… just because we offer each other help and talk..."

"Exactly what I mean; do I get any help? No. If I trip and she drops a pencil, do I get asked if I'm all right? No."

"But she's female, and I'm only being polite…"

"Ah, but you see, you're going to be one of those cheery husbands, you know? I'm just going to be a homeless person sitting in an alley, and when you, in all of your wealth, fame, and family, pass by, you won't even remember who I am, which is pretty logical…"

Myron cleared his throat and glanced at his watch. "I've g-g-got to g-g-g-go, s-so until l-l-lunch guys…"

"Okay, bye."

Christian waved goodbye as they continued on towards Mr. O'Connell's class.

"You know what, Chris? I'm going to hook you up with Nicole," Joshua stated as they entered the hallway containing the classroom. "W-What? Weren't you just complaining about that?"

"Not really, besides, you're kind of gloomy with all your Silent Hill stuff; have you had a girl friend before?"

"Well, not really; I never really concentrated on that…"

"So you're gay?"

"I didn't say that."

"Good, I haven't actually had a GF either, but let's go."

* * *

Nicole sat patiently in her chair as a few more students wandered inside. She had decided to let her hair down that day, not for any apparent reason though.

Her eyes hovered down to the sight of the rolled up sheet of paper; it was a project assigned by Mr. O'Connell a few days before. All of the students sitting at a table were to partake in it. She had felt like drawing a pyramid, and neither Joshua nor Christian really protested.

"See? She looks even more prettiful!" Joshua said as they walked into the classroom. "Josh, this isn't really necessary, is it?"

"Hey, if you like her, you'll be happy, and _we all want to be happy, don't we_?"

"I suppose…"

"_Good_."

Joshua sped over to the table and immediately sat down; Christian took his seat a few moments later.

"Oh, hey guys," Nicole greeted them. Christian gave a small smile and nod as Joshua took out a drawing pencil from a pocket on his backpack. "So… how did the drawing thing come out?"

"Um, fine…"

"Great, well, has Mr. O'Connell given out instructions?"

"Not yet…"

"Okay, cool…" Joshua grasped the rolled up paper as Mr. O'Connell walked up to the front of the class. "Well, class, I hope all of the groups have completed their projects; they are worth two test grades, but even though this is the day I pick it up, I'm allowing fifteen minutes for any projects to be finished. I advise you all to use your time wisely."

He gave a slight nod before walking back to his desk, and Joshua shrugged. "Well, we're done, right?"

"Yeah, I don't think anymore work is necessary," Nicole answered as Christian examined the now open paper. On the top right hand corner were their three names…

'Nicole _Sunderland_…'

He turned his head to face her before asking, "Nicole, um, do you know a 'Mary Sunderland'?"

She had been looking at the picture and not exactly paying attention, but the question had seemed to stir her from her thoughts.

"W-What…?"

"Do you know a 'Mary Sunderland'?"

Nicole glanced to the floor, taking a moment to think up a response. "I, uh, never really knew her… She was my aunt, but she passed away a few years before I was born… Why do you ask?"

Christian shook his head. "It's… It's nothing, don't worry about it…" Nicole had obviously been affected by the question, but she seemed to shrug it off when Joshua, who hadn't been paying any thought to the conversation, alerted her to a small mistake on the drawing.

It was then that he noticed the clock fixated on the wall had stopped ticking.

* * *

"Joshua, what are you doing?"

"Hold on…"

The brown- haired teenager stopped fishing around in his backpack and raised his arm out to reveal a granola bar in his hand.

"A granola bar?" Christian cocked an eyebrow up as Joshua closed the zipper on his backpack. "What?"

"Why did you bring a granola bar to school?"

"A g-granola b-b-bar…?"

Myron pushed his glasses up slightly. Joshua looked at both of them before starting to walk towards the school exit. His two friends began to follow him.

"Why are you two following me?" Joshua asked in a bored manner. "Do you think you're part of my posse?"

"Not really, but you haven't answer4ed my question."

"Okay, fine… If you must know, I created an addiction for granola after my puppy died when I was four."

"Y-Y-You h-had a p-p-p-puppy?"

"Yeah, but I don't even remember what he looked like… But I do remember that he was hit by a car… Hell, I _saw_ him die."

"You saw your own pet die?"

"Yeah… It really tore me up… so I started eating granola bars…"

Myron's eyes only widened as Christian remained silent. "Hmm… Yeah, all the gore as the wheel crushed him… I just can't remember what he looked like though… It _has_ been over ten years…"

Joshua shrugged and glanced at his watch. "That's weird…"

"What is it?"

"The Second Hand… it stopped…"

* * *

"So why the hell are we here?" Catherine inquired before taking another bite of her chocolate doughnut. "An associate of my grandfather's has some items we need…" Melissa replied.

"And why can't Jeremy get his own stuff?"

"Because he has us…" Alexis's smile grew even larger as he approached Catherine, resulting in her to move away. "Was I talking to you?"

"You might've been…" He licked his lips suddenly, earning a look of disgust from the female.

"Both of you just stop talking."

All three turned to see Noah walking towards them from across the street, his coat swaying behind him.

"Ah, Noah, it's good you were able to make it," stated the raven- haired woman as he stepped up beside Alexis. "Yes, well, is this the place where our benefactor is located? In some clock shop one the corner of the street?"

"Seems like it, but why'd we have to come in the middle of the night?" Catherine whined once more.

Melissa only sighed before removing a set of keys from her pocket and unlocking the door...

* * *

The elderly man breathed deeply under the hood as he watched the four young people walk inside. He sat in a wheelchair at the opposite side of the room.

Clocks adorned the wall, and it was quite a variety at that. They were all ticking, however, as Melissa advanced forward. "You must be the man who promised to meet us here; hello."

She held out her hand to him, but he only gave a small wave. "Yes, yes… I'm surprised that Jeremy couldn't attend…"

"He's very busy at the moment, so he had us come…"

"Yes… Please, take a seat, if you will…"

Catherine and Alexis quickly plopped down onto two seats located near the entrance, but Noah continued standing. The man sighed. "So I understand you all are here for some items…?"

"Yes we are…"

"Good, good… Now-,"

"So why exactly do you wear that hood, sir?"

All the people in the room looked to the source of the voice: a man, wearing a long brown coat, his blonde hair tied up in a ponytail, stood at the back of the room; a smile played on his face.

"W-Who are you?" demanded the hooded man as he looked towards the man.

"You still haven't answered my question… Were you burned? Is that what it is? Are you so horribly scarred by the flames that you cannot face any, decent human?"

"What, ho-,"

"I am curious, as well; who are you?" It was Noah who spoke this time, and he was slowly approaching him.

The man chuckled, before responding, "My name is Sydney Wells, and you are…?"

"Noah Franklin."

Sydney reached into his coat pocket, removing a box of matches. "I suppose you all are part of that cult… If you are, I cannot let you continue…"

"And why is that?" Noah countered, his right hand fiddling with a single, silver bullet in his coat pocket.

"I have certain things that I must take care of… and the only thing you people will accomplish is just getting in the way…"

"You intend to burn us alive!" Melissa suddenly yelled; Catherine and Alexis remained deathly quiet. "Well, what a grasp for the obvious you have…" Sydney took out one of the matches, quickly bringing it down against the rough side of the box. The bright flame ignited.

"Don't worry, though… Death isn't so bad…"

Sydney dropped the match onto the wooden floor, flames quickly spreading.

He smirked before walking out the back door in which he had entered, leaving the others alone in the center of the fire… The clocks ceased ticking.


	15. Joshy and Teh Order

(Damn, already starting another chapter! I should be able to complete it tonight… Just another late night session… Anyways, here are the responses to my reviews.)

_SilverGato:_ Yeah, like I said, that story inspired me; I'd even told myself that this was a great idea, and I guess I was right. Glad you like Myron, by the way. Jasper did inspire his character, even though I despise Jasper's Converse… Red…

_MichelLover67: _I still have a slight Writer's Block, but now that I've gotten the story out of its pattern- like rut, I should be able to get it into its 'middle stage'. Most of the recent chapters have been setting some of this up, I suppose.

_SageoWind128: _I gave you the replies to your questions in that comment on your Blog on Xanga, but I should elaborate on the Nicole one. Basically, Josh sort of does like her, but let's just say his most recent goal is just a spur of the moment… Err, it's difficult to explain…

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Fifteen: Joshy and Teh Order_

Mrs. Townsend raised the volume on the television set as Henry dropped another strip of bacon onto his plate before putting the pair of tongs down.

"Would you like me to fix you a plate?"

"No, I'm fine," she answered while backing away from the T.V.

"At approximately one' o' clock last night, a fire erupted at 'Joe's Clock Shop' in North Ashfield. A citizen nearby had seen smoke rising from the location and had contacted the police, who are still investigating the cause of the fire…"

Henry poked at his scrambled eggs with a spoon while watching the television. 'Fire… Jasper…' He shook it off before taking a seat at the kitchen table and beginning to eat.

"What the hell is this!"

Both Joshua's parents turned to see him, ready for school, staring into the empty granola bar box. "What's wrong?" asked Henry who took a gulp of orange juice.

"There's no granola bars in here! Damn, I need them, _need them_!"

He looked at both of them, his right eye starting to twitch. "You two know how I act when I don't have my granola in the morning! Don't we have any cereal or something?"

* * *

"So… Noah… do you think I should take advantage of the moment…?"

"Are you serious about that, Alexis?"

"No… but if I was, would you have allowed me to?"

"It wouldn't affect me, so I'd let you do whatever you wanted to."

"I… see…"

"…What're you two talking about…?" Catherine let out a small yawn after the question; she raised her head, blinking a bit.

"You're finally awake," said Noah as she looked around, noticing she was _leaning_ against Alexis. A look of pure disgust formed on her face. "_Eww_!" She scooted away next to the door as Melissa entered the vehicle. "The tank's full, so we can go anytime; do any of you want something to eat or drink? If so, go now."

Noah nodded. "Actually, a water would do good; come along Alexis." The carrot- top grinned widely while opening the door and exiting the car.

As the two were walking towards the shop, Catherine grimaced. "Was I sleeping next to him the _whole_ time?"

"I'm pretty sure…"

She only let out a small whimper as a response.

* * *

"I can't believe I'm eating this crap, Myron…" Joshua said before plopping another spoonful of the mashed potatoes in his mouth. He forced himself to swallow before taking a large swig of the soda he had purchased.

Myron shrugged. "It's n-n-not t-that bad…"

"Yeah, it is… It tastes like…," he shuddered, "something I'm not sure of…"

Myron shook the carton of chocolate milk lightly as a girl suddenly approached the table. "Um, can I sit here? The other table I usually go to is filled up." Joshua looked up at her, noting her patient expression. "Hey, you're… uh, Naomi, right? We were sitting together during Math on Friday."

"Oh yea… Joshua, right?"

"Yeah… And that's Myron…"

"Well nice to meet you, Myron!" she exclaimed while setting the lunch tray down and extending a hand out. "Naomi Takahashi!"

Myron shook her hand, and she quickly sat down beside him. "So, what do you think of this hellhole?" Joshua asked while Myron opened the chocolate milk and started drinking it. "I like it, actually! It's a lot better than my old high school!"

Joshua merely sighed. "That's good… I guess…"

"Hey, guys!"

All three turned to see Christian jog up to the table. "W-What's g-g-g-going on?"

"You won't believe it, but it's snowing outside!"

"You lie," Joshua replied while spitting in his food. "It's only the beginning of autumn…"

"I know that, but it's still snowing! Come on, check it out!"

Sure enough, a majority of the students were looking outside the windows, and even some of the teachers had decided to take a look.

"It's only snow…" Mr. Wells stated. They turned to see that he was standing nearby; he looked at them as well, flashing a small smile before walking to the exit of the cafeteria.

Christian folded his arms. "There's something strange about him…"

* * *

"Crackerjacks…" Alexis strolled slowly through the aisle, studying each box or bag of snacks that came into view. Noah was near the back of the room, grabbing a bottle of water from inside a somewhat large frozen compartment built into the wall. Closing the glass door, he began walking towards his companion.

"How ridiculous… Five dollars for a packet of gum…" Noah cleared his throat. "Hurry up, Alexis, we're leaving soon."

The nineteen year- old then passed him and sped to the counter, placing the bottle down. The cashier took it and waved the barcode in front of a small scanner, the bright red light coloring in the white for a split second.

"That'll be six dollars, sir."

"A tad pricey…"

"Well, I don't make the prices…" answered the cashier, who blew a few strands of long, dirty blonde hair out of her face. "You know, there aren't that many hot guys my age in this city… You like movies…?" She smiled, slightly in a seductive manner. Noah only half- smiled.

"Maybe another time."

She sighed and nodded towards Alexis. "Will he be buying anything?"

"No, he just tends to browse a little too much."

* * *

Joshua sulked through the doors of the small shop, the little bell ringing as the door closed. He grimaced and walked into the snack aisle, but he immediately stopped upon hearing the words of the red- headed, black- wearing man standing in the center of the aisle.

He was holding a granola bar, eyeing it. "Granola…? I hate these things…"

"Take that back!"

Alexis slowly glanced at the teenage boy who had just spoken to him. He put the bar back down and stared at Joshua. "What…?"

"You know what I'm talking about!" the teenager exclaimed. "The granola bar, take back what you said!"

Alexis chuckled, his smile growing ever larger. "It's my opinion… I can hate granola bars if I want to…"

Joshua shook his head. "No, you can't, not until I see you _eat_ one!"

Alexis cocked his head to the left. "…Eat one…?"

"_Yes_, eat one!"

The cult member shrugged and grabbed the bar he had set down, staring at it. "Well?"

"I'm… not going to pay… for it…"

"Fine, I'll cover it… Just take a bite!"

Alexis glanced from Joshua and then to the bar; he began to gradually tear the plastic wrapper apart.

Noah watched this with a tad of amusement, carefully studying how Alexis watched the bar reveal itself. "Actually, I'll take the liberty of paying for the boy… How much?"

* * *

Alexis ceased his pull of the torn wrapper, and now stared at the half of the bar he had freed. He looked back at Joshua. "Are you…?"

"Just do it already! If you truly hate granola bars you won't be able to handle it."

The carrot- top shrugged and bit down on the bar, taking a part of it into his mouth. Slowly, but surely, he began to chew. He continued chewing for a few moments, before allowing the pieces to fall through his throat.

There were a few moments of dramatic silence before Joshua spoke. "Well?"

"Well… what…?"

"The granola bar… How did it taste…?"

"It tasted…" Alexis began, "quite delightful…"

He then walked past Joshua, leaving the teenager standing, frozen, in awe. Noah nodded to the cashier before walking outside with Alexis, who, by the way, was still eating the bar.

* * *

"That… kid…"

Noah placed his right hand in the corresponding coat pocket before responding, "He was the same boy Catherine had said was staring at her. I'm sure you remember, on Saturday…"

"Yes… Yes I do…"

"What the heck took you two so long?" questioned Catherine as they sat down in the vehicle. "We were… caught up," Noah answered.

(Well, I started this chapter last night… and I wasn't able to finish it then, but whatever… If you didn't figure out why Joshua was at the store anyway, don't worry; I'll explain it next time. Oh, and the first segment with the cult was right before the last part of the chapter.)


	16. Under the Falling Snow

(Hmm… Would you all mind telling me who your favorite character is? You don't have to if you don't want to, though…)

_MichelLover67:_ After the fire; about half a day later. Glad you're enjoying it.

_diddly day: _I didn't think the last chapter was all that good, but I suppose some authors don't have high expectations for their work… As for the granola thing, if Joshua doesn't have his daily amount, he becomes crazier than he already is… Poor fool…

_SageoWind218: _You've never ever had a granola bar before? Huh… As for Sydney Wells, throw as many as you'd like. I kind of like them, but I rarely chew gum. Anyway, thanks.

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Sixteen: Under the Falling Snow_

Was that… fear? No, impossible. Noah couldn't possibly be feeling fear; no mere fire was going to worry him.

And yet… this was certainly an unexpected occurrence. Everything had been going according to his plan, but, as if from nowhere, this man comes and threatens Noah's grip on the situation.

Sydney Wells… The name felt vaguely familiar to the young man, but he had never heard of such an identity before in his life. If that was the case, then why had the man seemed so familiar to him…?

No. Now was not the time to be thinking; now was the time to act.

Noah's gaze traveled around the room; the flames hungrily ate away at the wooden interior, and, in less than a few moments after the match had hit the floor, fire had already surrounded them.

"Sir, please!"

That was Melissa; she was trying to assist the elderly man, but there wasn't much of a chance he would be escaping. Time was running out.

"N-No…" The hooded man let out a small cough. "Take this…" He reached into under his cloak, bringing out a peculiar looking cross. It was gold, a long blade forming out of the bottom end.

Melissa stared at it for a moment, trying to comprehend the situation. "What are you waiting for! Take it!"

"But what of you?"

The man laughed weakly. "I have outlived the life God granted me so long ago… Just go…"

Alexis tapped Noah on the shoulder, squinting. "The front door is locked…"

"Locked? Well, we'll have to force our way out, then…"

"We can't!" Catherine squealed. "Something's blocking it from the outside!"

Noah cocked his right eyebrow up. 'It seems I underestimated him…' He sighed. "There's still the exit from which he entered," Noah stated, pointing over the flames at the closed door at the back of the room.

"Then let's go!" Catherine rushed through, skipping over some protrusions of fire. Alexis brought a handkerchief to his mouth. "We need to act now…" Noah nodded and they both swiftly followed the blonde girl to the opposite side of the room.

"Melissa, come on!" Catherine pleaded. The raven- haired woman took one last glance at the hooded person before running towards her fellow cult members.

"This one's locked too…" Alexis informed them; Noah let out an aggravated sigh. "Get out of the way." He took out a handgun from his back pant pocket and aimed it at the door knob.

* * *

Joshua took another bite of the granola bar. "Yessss, Precious… We won't let you go ever again…" He hugged the green box which held six other bars.

Henry walked into the living room to see his son doing this.

"Um… Did you get the mail, Joshua?"

The teenager sprang up upon hearing his father's voice. "Oh, uh, hey Dad… What did you say?"

"Did you get the mail?"

"Uh, no…"

"So I guess you went to the store after school?"

Henry was referring to the box of granola bars under his son's right arm. "Oh yeah, I did…"

There were a few moments of utter silence between them before Henry spoke up. "I'll go get the mail, then."

"Sure…"

Joshua watched his father walk back into the kitchen and outside; he glanced at the box of granola.

* * *

Henry gently closed the entrance door behind him before starting towards the mailbox at the front of the lawn. Not that you could really see any green from the grass under the blanket of white.

'It just started snowing earlier today,' he thought while walking up to the mailbox and opening it. Henry peered inside, only seeing a single letter lying flat.

He swallowed hard and reached for the letter, quickly pulling it out into the open. The front side was void of any writing at all; Henry had a confused look on his face.

"What…?" He flipped it over in his hand, noticing the envelope was closed only by a single piece of scotch tape. Henry pulled the cover up, removing the tape's firm grip on the paper.

Henry backed away upon seeing what was inside. The page inside… was red.

The envelope and paper fell to the ground; the red crimson paper slid out, revealing a date: August 9th.

Henry stared at it for a second, shaking his head. "No… No! It's over…" He kneeled down, gradually reaching for the letter. "I killed him… he's dead, Joseph… he's dead… You hear me? Do you hear me!" Henry found himself yelling slightly, tears actually beginning to fall from his eyes.

He gripped the envelope tightly with his left hand, taking out the letter with his right.

Placing the envelope on top the mailbox, he began to read…

_I realized something just right now… he can't be killed. I intended to leave it up to the next tenant of Room 302, Number Twenty- One, but if my theory is correct, he'll be just as hopeless as I am against him…  
But it's extremely unlikely as well… If a soul leaves its deceased body to enter that of its new body, what would happen if the previous body did not truly die? If a body does not have a soul, does it lose what makes it human, emotion? Or does it become something different, something truly not real…? In any case, I believe that there's no way to be sure that Walter Sullivan can die any longer…  
If Eileen represents his mother…_

_Well, it's doubtful that my theory is valid, but I have no time left… The hole has sealed up, and the apartment is becoming worse and worse… He's coming…_

_August 9th_

Henry stared at the letter, attempting to piece together what he had just read. 'If he thought this… then why'd he leave it for me sixteen years later?'

"Hey, Dad, you okay?" Joshua called from the front doorway. Henry looked up at his son, quickly tucking the letter up in his pocket. "Yeah, I'm fine," he answered back.

"Well, you've been out here for like ten minutes…"

"Joshua, can you keep an eye out for your mother? I… have to go somewhere…"

"Where?"

"I… South Ashfield Heights; don't worry."

Henry walked over to his car, unlocking the door and stepping inside. "I won't be long!" He slammed the door shut and turned the vehicle on with his key before backing the car out of the driveway and riding away.

Joshua shrugged and walked back inside. 'Weird...'

(Yeah, I know this was a really short chapter... Darn...)


	17. The Grand BOOM! of Elec Part ONE

(I need to stop typing so much… James Sunderland will be coming out though, but whether his role will be major or minor I don't know…)

_MichelLover67:_ Ah, yes, Fatman… A friend of mine has all three games, and after reading your review I remembered Fatman was obsessed with explosives… right?

_SageoWind218:_ Well, Henry's been dealing with his son's addiction for about ten or nine years... You add that with all the other peculiar things in his life, and you have a threat to the global economy… Henry won't be taking his trusty Steel Pipe with him on this little trip to Room 302, unfortunately… He got rid of that quite awhile back, actually… I think…

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Seventeen: The Grand **BOOM!** Of Electricity in Ashfield for a Day; Part ONE_

Christian jotted down some quick notes on the small pad before turning the monitor off. 'That should be it for the day…'

"More Silent Hill stuff, Chris?"

The blonde teenager turned his head to see Joshua sitting in a separate chair right beside him. "Um… how long have you been there?" he asked as Joshua adjusted his backpack strap. "About two minutes…"

Christian sighed. "So what's going on? Why'd you come to the library?"

"Oh, well, you see, I wanted to know if you'd like to come with me to the electronics store nearby. They opened a few days ago; one of those big brands… So, basically, I was looking for you."

"Uh, sure… Don't have any homework…"

"Cool." Joshua stood up, stretching. He removed the granola bar from his pocket, tore the wrapper, and began to snack on it.

"Oh, hey guys!" greeted Nicole as she approached them. She was holding two books in front of her, and she looked quite cheerful.

"You like quite cheerful today," Joshua commented, "what's up?"

Nicole's smile grew larger. "My Uncle James is coming to visit for a few days! Isn't it great?"

Joshua thought for a moment while taking a bite of the bar. "Well, I don't know…" His gaze traveled down to the books in her hands. 'Lords of the Flame'…

"You like the 'Lords of the Flame' series?"

Nicole glanced at the book. "Oh, I love them; why do you ask?"

Joshua shrugged. "Oh, Christian told me he was a big fan of it before at Lunch…"Joshua gave a slight grin as Christian ceased reviewing his notes on Silent Hill.

'Darn it, Joshua…'

"Is that true, Christian?" Nicole asked while brushing back a strand of blonde hair. Christian chuckled nervously. "Um… Yeah…"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What was that in the library, Joshua?" Christian questioned as they walked out of the high school. Joshua wasn't exactly paying attention and was watching a senior getting high off of some paint bucket.

"What…? Oh… I told you I was going to hook you and Nicole up, and I'm going to do it."

Christian sighed. "Look, I'm grateful, but you don't-,"

"No, no, I feel I have to, you know?"

"Not really…"

"Don't worry about it, then…"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Noah entered the café, the same place where he had spoken to Cheryl Mason. Aside from the few workers behind the counter and some people drinking coffee and reading the newspaper, the place was quiet.

He narrowed his eyes and noticed the person he was meeting was sitting in a booth in the corner of the room; he calmly walked over and took a seat.

Jeremy set the newspaper down and looked up at his young colleague. "Ah, Noah, I'm glad you could come…"

Noah nodded. "I tried not to be too late…"

"Pay it no concern; would you like coffee, food…?"

"No thank you…" Noah held no liking for the older man, but the fact that he was the lead figure of The Order by default didn't leave much room for protest. "So, if you don't mind, I'd like to be on my way…"

Jeremy chuckled at this. "There is no need to rush, Noah; I'm sure whatever you have planned to do today can wait."

"I suppose…" he murmured in reply as Jeremy looked up. "Yes, I'm sure you all are becoming restless, but I believe I have an idea of who the boy we are searching for is…"

"Oh really…?"

"Yes, but I have to confirm it…"

"What about Zeik? What has he been up to these past few days?"

"To tell you the truth, I'm not entirely sure… However, I've given him a second chance… I doubt he'll betray us…"

"But he has nothing left to lose, right?"

"Correct…"

"Now, why did you need to speak with me? I'd like to be on my way…"

"Alright…" Jeremy cleared his throat. "The man who attempted to kill you and the others in the fire… Sydney Wells… I want you to find him…"

Noah folded his arms. "And kill him?"

"If you must, but I would like to question him; I've never heard of a man by that name associated with our brotherhood, but he is a threat, and we are so very close to accomplishing our goal…"

Noah nodded and stood up from the booth, rubbing his neck. "If that's all you wanted to speak to me about, then I'll be going now." He turned and began making his way towards the exit of the café.

"Wait, Noah," Jeremy called. The young man stopped. "Please be careful; I do not need one of us to die an untimely death…"

Noah smiled slightly. "Thank you…"

'…for your pathetic concern…'

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Whoa… this place is huge…" Christian remarked as they walked through the sliding double doors and into the electronic store. Joshua shrugged. "I don't see the big deal…"

The gigantic building was flooded with people, and numerous rows of different devices, movies, games, and many other things were scattered about. A long, red banner with the following, colored white: **_Just Opened! 25 Off!_**, hung from the ceiling.

Joshua slid his hands in his jean pockets while reading that. "Something about that's really funky…"

Christian was already browsing around the music CD section, and Joshua quickly darted over to him. "Hey, you like music?"

"Love it," the blonde replied while crouching down and examining a case. "Cool…" Joshua said right before his cellular phone started ringing.

"Aw, damn…" He grabbed it from a side pocket in his backpack and answered it.

"Hello?... Oh, hey Mom…"

Christian fished around in his pocket before removing a crumpled up twenty dollar bill; he glanced at the CD case and shrugged. "I can waste a few bucks…"

He held the case at his side while glancing around.

"Yeah, I'll be here for about an hour… No… Someone left the faucet on in the office all night?... Huh… Nah, Christian came with me… Yes… What do you mean Dad's been acting weird?... Oh yeah! I forgot to tell you he went to that apartment complex for like an hour or so last night… South Ashfield Heights… Hey, no need to get excited; what's the big deal?... Okay… Love you too, Mom, bye."

Joshua turned the phone off and dropped it back into his pocket before looking to Christian. "My mom's crazy, did you know?"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The second guard went down quickly, and Zeik plopped down into the small chair just as fast. 'You'd think a place like this would have a little more security…' He shrugged and placed the somewhat large brown bag down, reached into it, and removed a light green floppy disc. 'If this works, I can have the entire city's electrical devices at my disposal… This place is as good as any to start…'

Zeik let out a small laugh before popping his knuckles and inserting the floppy disc into the computer in front of him…

(Yeah, I sort of cut this chapter short; I'd intended for more, but it's a two- part, anyway… I have to also apologize for the lateness of the chapter… Sorry, everyone… I decided to leave the Room 302 segment for next time, though, as I have to figure it out, but, I did beat SH4 this past weekend!)


	18. The Grand BOOM! of Elec Part TWO

(If you want better picture of the electronics store, just think of Best Buy or something… Heh heh…)

_diddly day: _I didn't think the chapter was much… Well, I guess it was, since it seems it sparked some interest.

_MichelLover67: _I'm going with the 'Leave' ending of Silent Hill 2, even though there is a reference in SH4: TR that leads you to believe the true ending of SH2 was the 'In Water' ending, or at least I think… However, this brings up the possibility that Laura _may_ make an appearance in the story at some point, but if she does, keep in mind that she is no longer an eight year- old little girl. I don't want to get into a controversy about whether she's real or not, though…

_Servo: _Nice to hear from you. Glad you liked the chapter.

_SageoWind218:_ Steel Pipe's gone… Yep, and yep!

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Eighteen: The Grand **BOOM! **Of Electricity in Ashfield for a Day; Part TWO_

With a hesitant turn of the knob, the door to Room 302 opened, allowing Henry Townsend access inside. A stagnant smell suddenly filled his nostrils, and his stomach churned; he wasn't exactly comfortable being here.

The light from the hallway illuminated a little ways inside the apartment room; enough to show Henry the dangling switch for a light bulb installed into the ceiling.

He pulled the switch slowly before closing the door. As the light faded on, Henry began to examine the room and its contents; from what the woman at the entrance had told him, no one had rented or moved in since he had left; it was being used for storage more than anything now.

The room was definitely worse than it had been the last time he'd seen it… and it was in horrible condition at the time. Henry adjusted the collar of his coat while glancing at the wall to his left. 'Darn…'

He sighed and walked over to the window, bending down slightly to look through it. Even though a sheet of snow and ice covered the glass, Henry could make out the shapes of vehicles and buildings. The lights of the city blurred a tad bit.

Henry backed away, sliding a hand through his hair. 'What did I think I was going to find here…? I thought Joseph stopped at August seventh… What… Walter should be dead… He can't…'

_On the contrary, Henry, I'm very much alive…_

The voice sent shivers up his spine as he spun around, looking for its source.

_I'm not where you are, though…with Mother… No…_

Henry swallowed hard and looked back at the window. "You're dead…" he thought aloud. "I'm just… imagining things… That's all..."

_Don't lie to yourself, Henry… You knew I wasn't dead..._

"What are you talking about? How can you still be…?"

_I was so close that day... but I underestimated you… Your will to survive was strong…_

Henry's gaze traveled around the living room, over the cardboard boxes, stacks of paper, and back to the door. He shook his head. "No… I was just lucky…" he murmured in response.

_Whatever the case, I was still defeated… but, I owe it all to you… I was given a second chance, because of your own actions…The irony of it… the person who killed me brought me back…_

"How... How did I do that!" Henry could feel anger gradually gathering within him. He didn't exactly hold a liking for Walter Sullivan, but this was extremely difficult to take in… even though it had crossed his mind before.

The voice seemed to laugh somewhat, before continuing.

_You should be able to figure it out... but, if it's any consolation, I'm not going to come for you… the 21 Sacraments failed a long time ago…_

"What do you mean?" Henry asked, however, no response came. He took a moment to calm himself before rubbing his eyes. 'No… This isn't happening… I'm just hearing things… Am I… Am I going crazy…?'

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Christian patted his jeans slightly before walking up to Joshua, who was listening to some headphones for sample music.

"Hey, Josh, I think it's time we got going."

_FunnyBunnyFunnyBunnyFunnyBunnyFunnyBunnyFunnyBunnyFunnyBunnyFunnyBunny_

"Josh? Are you listening?"

_FunnyBunnyFunnyBunnyFunnyBunnyFunnyBunnyFunnyBunnyFunnyBunnyFunnyBunny_

"Take the headphones off… Josh…?"

_FunnyBunnyFunnyBunnyFunnyBunnyFunnyBunnyFunnyBunnyFunnyBunnyFunnyBunny_

Christian tore the set from Joshua, causing him to jump back, startled. "Damn… Wha…?" he stammered. "You seem to have been in a trance or something…"

"Oh… Once I started listening to that I couldn't… it was… I couldn't think… It was like my brain froze up… like it had spyware…"

"Yeah… Well, are you ready to go? We've already been here over an hour…"

Joshua shrugged. "Sure, whatever; you pay for your CD?"

"Yeah; just right now."

So, the two teenagers casually walked towards the exit of the store, however, it seemed a good amount of people were gathered around the sliding doors.

Two of the men, who worked at the store, judging by their uniforms, were inspecting the situation.

Christian walked ahead of Joshua and up next to one of the men. "What's going on?" he inquired while scratching under his brown coat sleeve. "The doors won't open… Not even the emergency button works…"

Christian folded his arms. "Well, if the doors are run by electricity… they could be shut down… but the emergency button…"

The intercoms all around the building suddenly sounded, causing everyone present to turn. "Testing… Well, I can hear myself… so I guess it works… Now I have to get the image on…"

The flashy display of rain on the massive screen built on the wall grew more and more snowy all of a sudden. An image began to fade in, and after a few seconds, the sound of static stopped, revealing a somewhat clear image of Zeik, sitting down in a dark room.

_Everyone_ in the room gasped in surprise, except for Joshua, who was staring at the man's image thoughtfully. "Where, oh where, have I seen that guy before…?" he thought aloud as Christian turned to him. "What do you mean? You know who that guy is?"

The brown- haired teenager shrugged. "Meh, I don't know, but he looks very familiar… Ah, damn short- term memory…"

Most of the security cameras scattered around the place turned to the screen, zooming in.

"Hey, I can see myself! _It worked_! Yes, oh, yes!" Zeik exclaimed while grinning crazily. The smile quickly dropped before Zeik stroked his chin. "Now, what was I going to do… Oh yeah, the _test_… _The test_… Hmm… Well, if it worked here, that means I have access to all electrical devices in Ashfield…"

"That's impossible!" an older man stated nearby. The crowd began to chatter excessively, and that caused them to break out into bewilderment and panic. This lasted for a moment, before Zeik grew irritated. "Alright, all of you **SHUT UP**, _or I'll blow you all to smithereens_!"

The crowd quickly silenced, but one of the workers only laughed. "Oh, come on, people! He's obviously bluffing! He can't just go and kill us… Why, he'd be killing himself!"

Zeik giggled idiotically. "Oh, is that so…? Well, then, all of you turn around and look at that Queen Burger in the distance!"

Everyone turned, and from looking out of the windows and doors, saw the Queen Burger building suddenly explode! The people inside the store screamed, gasped, laughed, and whatever you do in a crisis.

"Oh my God!" someone shouted.

"Tch, whatever!" the same person from before yelled. "That place's been closed for a week! He _obviously_ knew that! He's _bluffing_!"

"Uh, actually, I didn't…"

There was an utter silence in the room before Zeik cleared his throat. "_Now,_ you pathetic little _lump_, time to atone for your sins, or whatever mumbo jumbo that cult says…"

'Cult?' Christian thought. 'Could he be talking about…?'

Everyone turned to look at the plastic box of a nearby robotic dog toy. It swiftly activated for some reason and ripped through the box, quickly running towards the worker.

Joshua raised his right eyebrow. "I didn't know those things had that sharp of teeth…"

Frightened, the man sprinted off, with the dog right after him. They disappeared behind some shelves, but the cries of the worker made everyone cringe.

It was just then that it clicked for Joshua. "Hey, I remember you!" he said while pointing accusingly at the screen. "You're that arse who blew up Mom's van, and then you were that freako at that restaurant!"

Zeik scratched his head before having the security cameras zoom in on Joshua. "_You_! You just keep on getting in the way all the time! Huh, I'll make sure not to let you off so easily like last time!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cheryl sighed before placing her pen down and rubbing her eyes. She had stayed a few hours after classes had ended for the day to get some more work done, but she was obviously out of it.

She put the papers aside and stood up, yawning. She quickly readied herself and stepped out of the room, turning off the lights and locking the door.

Before she could be on her way, however, she heard humming… and it was the usual humming of Sydney Wells.

'I doubt he stayed late… hasn't done that before from what I know of…'

As Cheryl shook it off and started walking, she heard another voice, one which was quite familiar.

"Sydney Wells, correct?"

The female teacher darted behind a wall, peeking out to see Sydney, holding his briefcase to his right with his left hand in his coat pocket. He was standing a few feet away in front of Noah Franklin.

"Um… Excuse me, sir," Sydney began, "but what exactly do you need? I'm in quite a hurry to leave…"

Noah folded his arms. "A… _friend_-He said this with a venomous tone- of mine wishes to speak with you… He wants to ask you a few questions, nothing more…"

Sydney shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I don't have the time-,"

"What exactly is your association with our group, Mr. _Wells_? From what this specific friend of mine has said, he doesn't know what relations you have with us… and, I took the liberty of doing a little research…"

Noah let his arms fall. "Where were you born, Mr. _Wells_?"

"Here, in Ashfield… I moved to Pleasant River for a time with my family, but then I returned here once I completed college… Why do you need this information? What-,"

"I see certain flaws in that, _Sydney_… I found no birth records of a person under your name here in Ashfield, and I'm pretty sure you never attended a school or resided in Pleasant River… From what I can infer, you're not exactly who you say you are… You obviously have a reason for attempting to kill my comrades and me, so, just what _is_ your role when it comes to The Order? Do you have a grudge, revenge? What?"

Sydney chuckled. "No, none of that… Your group might prove to be a hindrance, that's all…"

Cheryl listened intently to this from her hiding spot. 'Wells… What…?'

Sydney smirked. "And since you've made it apparent you have some interest in this, Ms. Mason, why don't you stop hiding?"

(Shoot… The last segment takes like a couple days after the day with Zeik and all that... Don't you love how I make this so confusing?)


	19. The Grand BOOM! of Elec Part THREE

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Nineteen: The Grand **BOOM!** Of Electricity in Ashfield for a Day; Part THREE_

"Police our still baffled by the identity of the one responsible for the blackout two days ago, but they have connected him to the explosions which occurred in North Ashfield earlier this month. From what witnesses have explained and described, he goes by the name of 'Zeik', and seems to be a loose cannon…"

The voice of the female news anchor instantly diminished as James turned the small knob on the control panel to the right. He blinked a few times before leaning back in the driver's seat and looking back towards the road. Not that there was much to see.

He slid a hand through his dirty blonde hair before slouching slightly. It had been a month after his niece's tenth birthday that he moved out of Ashfield and into Pleasant River. His first option was Brahms, because it was slightly closer, but he decided to just go with Pleasant River, as it just felt nicer to him.

But even though it had been about eighteen years since Mary's death, he couldn't focus correctly… He couldn't even stop thinking about it.

It was always there, stuck in the back of his mind. That town… with its fog-ridden streets… its cold feeling of dread…

James had tried his best to forget about the town… but it had showed him what he really was… a murderer… It had used them… Angela, Eddie, Laura… and even Maria, who was not even real to begin with… The town had toyed with them, playing on their fears, needs… It had pushed them all to the edge, but only James hadn't gone over. He had survived that horrid place, but in the process he discovered what he had denied and forgot…

Things became better though; his sister-in-law gave birth to a baby boy a few months after Mary's death, and he suddenly found himself an uncle. He was named Michael, and for awhile James felt somewhat envious towards his brother. He didn't know exactly why. Perhaps it was because Mary had always wanted a child...

Yet, James soon found himself caring deeply for the boy, and his small amount of jealousy dissipated quickly. And, only three years later, his brother was once again a father; Nicole was her name, a beautiful baby girl.

James cleared his throat as he pressed down slightly on the pedal. The vehicle accelerated.

Even after he had moved away, James still visited. But as time passed by, his visits became less and less frequent, and he found it harder and harder to face his relatives.

He glanced at his rear-view mirror quickly and then back to the road. Thing just weren't the same when he returned with Laura from Silent Hill… but he coped with it… and he intended to keep on living…

James reached for the volume knob and turned it to the left, increasing the sound… but nothing other than static could be heard… No, there was another sound under it…

He narrowed his eyes, leaning slightly forwards, forgetting the road. He raised the volume.

There was definitely something being masked by the static. James concentrated, straining his ears. "Ja… mes…"

He gasped. "Jame…s…"

It was his name, but he couldn't believe the voice that was speaking it. "No…" he muttered quietly.

"James…?"

He hadn't heard that voice in quite awhile… "Mary…?"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cheryl stood straight, quivering slightly. 'Damn…'

She walked out into the open, slowly approaching Sydney and Noah. "Ah, Ms. Mason… I hope you have taken into consideration our little discussion…"

"As a matter of fact," she began while stopping, "I've been thinking a lot about it…"

Noah nodded. "Good… I'd hoped to speak to you a little more, but things have been… busy…"

Sydney cleared his throat. "So… you've had business with him as well, Cheryl?"

She turned to Sydney, flinching. "…Yes... but how are you involved with their cult…?"

"I'm not actually involved; I've just had some previous association with them… but it seems the one behind their motives would like a word with me; is that right?" Sydney confirmed as Noah folded his arms.

"_He__would_, but I have no intention of taking you to him."

Sydney seemed to have not expected this from his expression changed. "Why did you find me, then, if you have no desire to fulfill your duty?"

Noah closed his eyes and let his arms drop. "At first, it was mainly curiosity; I mean, why would a _school teacher_, from what it seems, attempt to kill members of a somewhat secret occult? But then I started thinking… perhaps we could assist each other?"

Cheryl listened intently, but she was at a loss for what was happening. She stepped forward. "What do you mean? What-,"

"The others have no idea I ever met with you, Cheryl. They have acknowledged you, but have done nothing." Noah thought for a second. "You see, I am not blinded like they are… They're too seeped into that rubbish about demons and rituals that they do not see the truth… But Jeremy knows… he raised all of us with the intention of turning us four into mindless drones to be sacrificed for The Order's purposes, and this was a short while after you had escaped Silent Hill with the detective, Douglas Cartland."

Cheryl glanced down at the floor. "You're saying…"

"I saw through it, that web of lies and deception," Noah answered while placing his left hand in his coat pocket. "They actually believe they're _god_ will come and save them… I do not doubt its existence… but the idea of it all is ridiculous."

"How would I help you?" Sydney inquired all of a sudden, stroking his chin thoughtfully. Noah shrugged, chuckling. "I'm not entirely sure right now… but our goals seem to be _shared_, somewhat…"

He began to twiddle the small silver bullet in his left coat pocket. "There is a boy… of, approximately, fifteen years, in this city…"

"A boy?"

"Yes… Jeremy wishes to find him… but I wish to locate him beforehand…" Noah looked up at them, smiling. "I believe I should tell you both who Jeremy Blackheart is…"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Joshua merely snorted as he stared at Zeik. The crowd was chatting, and he heard some lines concerning him.

"What did I do?" he asked in a very innocent manner while swinging his backpack around, opening it, and fishing around inside of it.

"You may not have noticed, but you've gotten in my way too many times… you and that stuttering kid with those big glasses…" Zeik trailed off. "But anyway, I'm still going to finish you very, _very_ quickly…"

"Yeah, whatever…" Joshua murmured as he took out a separate granola bar and shook it slightly.

There was a small silence before Zeik made a peculiar gurgling noise. "G-G-G-ranol-l-l-la…?"

The crowd suddenly silenced as Zeik's left eye began to twitch. "Granola… Granola… Granola…!" Foam started forming at the tip of his lips as his hands began moving erratically.

"What the hell's wrong with him?" spoke a random man as the people began to panic.

Joshua unwrapped the bar's wrapper and attempted to begin eating it before Zeik slammed his fists onto the small counter. "Gra_NO_la!

He pressed a few buttons, and after a few moments, the robotic dog ran into view, heading for Joshua. "Oh, crap!" he exclaimed as it jumped onto him, knocking him to the floor. It grasped the bar in its mouth and started shaking it wildly.

Zeik cackled crazily while grinning in a maniacal fashion. "Birdies, birdies, _BIRDIES_!" he shouted while slamming his forehead into the counter several times. "How _FUNNY_!" He began pressing different buttons, turning different knobs, clicking on the computer mouse…

Lights suddenly flickered on and off in the electronics store, computers started shutting down, the music in the room died down…

The robotic dog quickly fell, deactivated. The granola bar dropped out of its mouth as people screamed and ran around, panicked.

Christian watched intently as Zeik fell off of the chair and the image disappeared, leaving only the blank, black screen to reflect the image of the room it was in.

Joshua cursed and dropped to his knees, reaching out for the bar as the lights went off simultaneously…

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Christian looked up at the large building as numerous people and police conversed, inspected, and went around doing their own things.

"That was freaky, don't you think?" Joshua asked while taking a bite out of the granola bar. Christian glanced at him, but then back at the building.

"Who was that guy? You knew him, right?"

"Oh, him?" Joshua giggled. "He's just some guy… Don't worry about it…"

The blonde teenager shook his head. "He said something… about a cult…"

Joshua ignored him, smiling happily at his granola bar. "I called my mom… She said the electricity went out in our neighborhood too…"

"Are you even paying attention?"

"Uh… Hmm? What?"

Christian sighed. "I think that person is connected to that cult I was telling you about…"

"Oh, the one from Silent Hill?"

"Yeah… How'd you remember?"

"I didn't… You're always talking about it…"

"Well, anyway…" Christian flinched, "if he is involved with them, that means they might be here, in Ashfield."

"Didn't you say you weren't even sure the cult existed?" Joshua said. Christian disregarded the question and continued.

"But what if they are real…? What if they're here? This is important… Joshua!"

The brown- haired teenager was barely listening, but what he did hear caused him to laugh slightly.

"What's so funny about it?"

"Oh, it just sounds like something that would be present in a video game… Actually, it sounds a lot like the opposite of that T.V. show… 'Loud Plains'…" He looked at the building. "Just listen to yourself, Chris… There isn't a cult trying to resurrect the devil in Ashfield… Come on, what are the chances?"

Christian rubbed his eyes, sighing. "Yeah… I guess I am taking it a little too far… but… wait…" He folded his arms. "I read about this novelist… Harry Mason… he wrote a book, and the contents were extremely similar to the things I've been finding out about Silent Hill… But anyway, he died years ago, leaving behind a daughter…"

Joshua took another bite into the bar as his friend glanced at him. "I never thought about it before… but… Miss Mason…"

"You mean our English teacher?" Joshua asked as he suppressed a laugh.

"What?"

"That's… just too funny!" As Joshua broke out into laughter Christian only shook his head. "It's not even funny…"


	20. Discovery

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Twenty: Discovery  
_

Alexis flipped to the next page of the small, blue book; his eyes locked on the tiny print, moving along with the words. Perhaps he was so good at reading because of how much they did when they were children, but it didn't really matter to him.

He didn't even look up when Zeik stormed into the room, shutting the door loudly behind him. "I'm curious… as to where you've been the past two days," the redhead stated while still providing his attention to the book. Zeik scowled. "I've been on the freakin' run! It's not easy escaping police, you know."

Zeik cleared his throat and tore the book away from Alexis. "I… was reading that…"

"Yeah, well you can read it later," replied Zeik as he threw the book onto the small sofa beside the chair Alexis sat in. A lamp on a desk next to the chair gave off the only light aside from the bright bulbs in the kitchen area just a few feet in front of Alexis.

"Look, I need to talk to that Jeremy guy; where is he?"

"He left a few hours ago… the only ones here are Melissa, Catherine, and myself… and you, I suppose…"

"Where's that Noah guy?"

"Noah's usually never here, and when he is, his stays are very brief…"

"Yeah!"

Zeik suddenly felt something collide with the back of his head; he turned to see a jar of peanut butter rolling on the carpeted floor. Catherine was glaring at him from inside the kitchen area. "Since you're here, Zeeky boy, make me a sandwich."

Zeik chuckled. "I'm not your little monkey lackey." He kicked the jar away. "Make your own damn sandwich…"

"Tch, no respect!" Catherine picked up the jar and juggled it in her hands. "You need to learn some manners; if we women weren't here you idiot boys would die out!"

Zeik grinned. "Oh my God," he said sarcastically, "you, like, so made me break a nail." He turned and headed towards the door. "Thank you for your time; tell Jeremy I need to talk to him." Zeik gave a great, big smile in Catherine's direction before leaving and slamming the door once more.

Alexis stood and grasped his book, staring hard at the cover for a moment. "I don't recommend you causing him to become angry… He… is not predictable, and his intelligence is astounding…"

Catherine laughed softly. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."

---

Joshua shuffled out of the classroom as the bell rang for the last time that day. Students passed by or just pushed him out of the way, but that didn't exactly bother him… What _did_ bother him was the piece of gum stuck to the back of his jacket.

But, anyway, as Joshua neared the school's main entrance, something caught his eye. Something blue. Something posted on the wall. Something identical to a number of other pieces of paper scattered throughout the school. It was a flyer, of course, with big, bold, yellow font and a cobalt blue background.

Joshua stopped and walked up to the brick wall, staring up at the flyer. He began to read it…

**_The Yearly Brangy Competition begins in a Month!  
_**

**_Please support our school's team by coming and cheering them on! Entry Fee_**...

Joshua ceased reading at this point, since that was enough. 'The 'Brangy' Competition…'

"Hey, so are you going?" Joshua turned to see Nicole approaching him, looking at the sign as she did so. "The Brangy one? Nah, I went last year…"

"I g-got that information y-you w-w-wanted, J-Josh…" Myron tapped him on the right shoulder and held out the three pieces of paper. Joshua took them quickly, looking them over. "Thanks, Myron; I owe you one…"

"Is t-t-t-that f-for the Brangy thing?" He was looking past Joshua and at the flyer. Nicole nodded. "Yeah, I happen to be part of this year's team… Actually, I'm surprised Mrs. Lockhart didn't have the announcement out sooner…"

Joshua chuckled. "Maybe our team will actually have a chance to win the preliminary round with you on it."

"W-What d-d-do you mean?"

"As far as I know, our school's _never_ gotten past the preliminary round of the competition."

"You sound a little different today, Joshua," Nicole commented. "Are you feeling all right?"

The brunette shrugged. "I guess… Christian's not here so I can't bug him… but I think it's because there's gum on my jacket…"

"R-Really…?"

"Yeah…"

Nicole frowned. "Well, you look a little pale…" Joshua rubbed his eyes. "Pale? Okay… Do I… look pale now?"

Joshua cleared his throat and threw his head to the side. Myron and Nicole regarded him with bewildered expressions as he remained completely still for a moment. "Are y-y-you okay, J-J-J-Joshua?"

Joshua made a small laugh before turning back to them. He looked slightly different than before; his pupils were a tad bolder, his cheek bones were protruding just a little, and his overall aura seemed to be… Uh… I dunno the word for it…

Myron seemed to be amazed, and Nicole was trying to get herself air by flapping her right hand very quickly next to her face. "Oh God…"

The brown- haired teenager ran a hand through his hair. "_Still, though, do I look pale?_" he asked in a very heavy and somewhat sexy voice.

That was the last straw for Nicole. She fell back, causing Myron to quickly catch her before she landed on the floor.

Joshua groaned while rubbing his face. "My face hurts so much after I do that…" Myron looked at him while helping Nicole stand. "H-How'd you d-d-do that?"

"Do what?"

"The s-s-s-sexy t-thing…"

"Oh, well I was bored one day a few years back…"

---

"You okay, Nicole? I overdid it a little…" Joshua said as they walked outside. The blonde girl giggled.

"Don't worry, I'm fine; just got caught off- guard…"

Myron adjusted his glasses when someone called, "Nicole!"

The girl immediately turned to the direction of the voice, and after a moment of staring at the man, she ran towards him, laughing happily. "Uncle James!"

James had a great big smile on his face as the teenage girl embraced him. "How've… you been?" he inquired as she released. "I've been great actually, but I was wondering when you'd get in."

Joshua and Myron watched as the uncle and niece conversed. "Come on, Myron, let's go say 'Hello'."

"R-Really?"

"Yeah."

"B-B-But-," Before Myron could answer, however, James was already walking over to him. "So I see Nicole's been making some friends, eh?" He grinned and held out his hand. "James Sunderland."

Joshua nodded and shook his hand lightly. "Townsend; Henry Townsend." He scratched his nose as James let go and turned to Myron. "And you are?"

"M-Myron C-C-Cartland, sir."

James sighed and backed away. "So, tell me, guys, has Nicole been good?" he inquired with a laugh. Myron shrugged as Joshua smirked. "That depends on how you classify, 'Nice', Mr. Sunderland," replied Joshua. They both somewhat laughed as Myron scratched his head.

Nicole walked up to the sort-of-geek. "Nice guy, isn't he?"

His head slowly bobbed up and down. "Y-Yeah…"

---

Joshua kicked off his shoes and collapsed onto his bed. The day had seemed longer than usual, and the trek back to his house after meeting Nicole's uncle only tired him out more.

He remained like that for a few minutes, staring at a photograph beside his computer monitor. It was a somewhat old photo, taken by his father when he was around five. He and his parents had gone to a water park during the summer, and he'd had a very nice time.

Of course, he almost drowned, he fell on his head, and he puked… twice… after drinking what he thought was lemonade. Plus, the day after, he felt horrible.

But, even though his mother scolded him and explained that he was experiencing a 'Hangover' and shouldn't drink something he wasn't sure of ever again, she still tucked him in that night and kissed him on the forehead before leaving.

He was brought back from reminiscing, however, when a terrible smell reached his nostrils.

Joshua quickly sat up, clenching his nose between his right thumb and index finger. The smell was extremely strong, and he instantly pinpointed its location: the chest.

Now, Joshua had never thought anything of the chest, because, once again, it frightened him, and it smelt pretty bad… but today, the odor had been multiplied about ten times.

He narrowed his eyes, scrunching his face in discomfort. He knelt down on the floor, studying the chest. Joshua groaned while slowly feeling the lid. 'Damn… it's getting worse…'

Joshua gagged as he released the hold on his nose and prepared to raise the lid. Taking a deep breath, he pulled the lid up, a high- pitched squeaking noise straining his eardrums.

Joshua squinted to see into the darkness of the chest, making out the outlines of several objects. He made out a variety of golf clubs and an aged pipe resting at the bottom, while a tall, waxy candle lay upon them. A medallion with an intricate design carved into it sat in the corner of the chest.

Joshua gradually extended his arm towards it; he picked it up, using his thumb to wipe some of the dust off of it.

'Gee, all this junk must be years old… I shouldn't even be touching this stuff…'

Joshua glanced around the chest one last time… when something suddenly caught his eye. It was a book, maybe a journal of some sort. Its red- orange cover seemed to be barely holding on to the pages.

The teenager brought it out from the depths of the chest and dropped it on the carpet beside him. He examined it quickly before flipping the cover to the side and staring at the crimson page. The words were definitely written in ink… black at that. They seemed to have seeped a little, but were still readable.

Joshua picked the journal up and began to read…

_Lately I've been feeling like my life is in serious danger._

_I've been through a lot in my life, but I've never felt this kind of pure,_

_animal fear._

_In case something happens to me, I've decided to write down what I've learned_

_for whoever you are that's living on the apartment now._

_I've been investigating the mass murder that took place 7 years ago in which_

_10 people were killed in 10 days._

_They were killed in a variety of ways, but the one thing they had in common_

_was that each corpse had the following numbers, in order of their deaths,_

_carved into them:_

_01121, 02121, 03121,_

_04121, 05121, 06121,_

_07121, 08121, 09121,_

_10121 ... The name of their killer... it was carved in as well..._

_His name was...Walter Sullivan._

_April 4_


	21. Prelude

(Wow… I'm surprised no one who read and reviewed found the small Easter egg type thing I put in the last chapter…)

_MichelLover67:_ In a way, the only thing that was really driving Walter was to be with his mother, and of course the Valtiel sect. of the cult manipulated and used him. I would think he'd still be dangerous, though… The stench is just a stench… It's just… "there", not really coming from anything particular… Besides, the umbilical cord is used up by the end of the game.

_SageoWind218:_ I suppose Henry lost the POD in Walter's worlds… Okay, then it is one of the hugs; heh…

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Twenty-One: Prelude_

Noah walked speedily up the staircase, his coat swaying behind him. Had it not been for the streetlights and lights outside the apartment building, he would have lost his footing, for not a single star rested in the night sky…

The door to the apartment Noah was heading too suddenly swung open as Zeik stormed out. He gave Noah a small wave before running off.

Noah shrugged and continued towards the door, catching the door knob and strolling in… only to have a jar of peanut butter launched at his face. He quickly grabbed it with his right hand while closing the door gently with his other.

"Hey, Noah, make me a sandwich!" commanded Catherine with her hands on her hips. The nineteen year- old merely grunted and headed over into the kitchen area, setting the jar down and grabbing the loaf of bread from the corner. "Why was he here?" he asked plainly.

"He wanted… to speak with Jeremy…" Alexis answered without raising his head from his book. "What did you tell him?" asked Noah again as he grabbed a lone napkin across the counter, set it before him, and placed two slices of bread upon it.

"I informed him… that only Melissa, Catherine, and I were present here…"

"But Melissa isn't here, is she?"

"No, she's with Jeremy… in Silent Hill."

Noah stopped spreading the peanut butter of the bread and turned to Alexis. "Silent Hill? Why would he go there?"

Alexis closed the book, looking up at Noah. "Jeremy says… that he has located the boy."

Noah seemed a tad disturbed by this. "Already? Isn't that… a bit abrupt?"

"He says the boy attends Ashfield High School… He did not give a name… but he did give us details…"

"Oh? What might those details be?"

"Curious… or is it more than that…?"

"What?"

Alexis rose, his usual eerie smile absent from his face. "You've been acting… very strange recently, very…" Noah turned back to the two slices of bread, continuing to spread the butter with the knife.

"Very what?"

"I am… not sure… but do you have anything you'd like to tell us?"

"What would you like to hear?" Noah finished with the peanut butter and dropped the knife into the sink nearby. Alexis shrugged. "Don't play games with me, Noah… We've known each other since we were children… I know you too well, as do you me…"

Noah jammed one of the slices onto the other. "I'm not playing games..."

"Then what have you been up to?"

Noah chuckled. "It's none of your concern, Alexis, don't worry about it." He grasped the sandwich and handed it to Catherine, who frowned. "Where's the grape jelly?" she pouted. Noah ignored her, staring at the redhead.

"I can't help but worry, Noah… I would be forlorn if anything were to happen to you; you're like a brother to me, in many respects."

"I'll be perfectly fine; if I were you, I'd worry more about myself." He then walked over to the door, but the sandwich hit the back of his head. "_Jelly_, Noah!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Joshua flipped to the next page of the crimson journal, eyes locked intently on the content. He didn't even notice Christian as he took a seat across from him, placing his lunch tray down.

"Never thought I'd see you reading…"

Joshua looked up, grinning. "Yeah, I didn't think so either… So, were you that sick?"

"Sick enough to be absent from school for two or three days…"

Joshua put the journal down. "You know, you've been wearing that same brown vest and shirt for awhile now… whatever happened to the cargo pants and the buttoned shirts?"

Christian shrugged.

"Yes, well, I'll find out soon enough…"

"Hmm… So what are you reading, anyway?" The blonde pointed at the journal, which was wide open. Joshua glanced down at it. "It's just some old journal I found at my house… Funny thing is, I have no idea who wrote it; his name is Joseph Schreiber, or something like that…"

Christian folded his arms. "Schreiber…? I swear I read an article by someone by that name… Something about an orphanage in the woods near Silent Hill… That is strange… Why would it be in your possession?"

"I dunno… It was in this chest with all this weird stuff… I didn't have time to ask my dad about it this morning, though…"

Christian took the plastic spork and plopped some of the imitation rice into his mouth. "Can I take a look at it?" Joshua nodded and slid it over to his friend, who quickly scooped it up and began skimming through the first few pages.

"This guy… Joseph… he was investigating a murder…"

"A serial murder… Some guy was trying to kill twenty- one people… Don't know why."

"Hmm… it says his name was… Walter… Sullivan…"

"What might you have there, boys?"

Both teenagers looked up to see Mr. Wells standing over the table, staring at the journal. "Oh, it's just some old diary I found at my house… No big deal," stated Joshua as Mr. Wells motioned for Christian to hand it to him, which he did.

The teacher took the book, opening it and beginning to read the first page. After a few seconds, he turned to the next page. He then looked up from the journal, closing it. He cleared his throat and looked towards Joshua.

"If you… don't mind, Joshua, I'd like to have a better look at this… You can pick it up after school…"

The brunette- haired teenager shrugged. "Uh, sure… Doesn't matter that much to me…"

Mr. Wells nodded and sped off, tucking the journal in his coat. Joshua and Christian watched as he left the cafeteria.

"That was a little weird, don't you think?" asked Christian as he looked back at Joshua. "Meh, it's nothing to worry about… Hey, you haven't met Nicole's uncle, have you?"

"Oh, no, I haven't… Why?"

"He came to pick up Nicole yesterday… Maybe he will today…"

"Even if he does, I don't have the time; right after school I have to go take the subway to see my aunt at the hospital."

"Whoa, what happened?"

"I'm not sure, actually…"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The light from the lantern and candles gave off a mellow glow as Jeremy etched down his final notes on the sheet of paper.

He sighed as the door slowly creaked open. There was a gentle knock.

"Please, come in," he said, eyes continuing to study the paper. Melissa smiled as she made her way into the room; she carried a small cup.

"I made you some tea, Grandfather… I thought it would help…"

"Ah, thank you…" Jeremy motioned for Melissa to sit. "I have something I would like to discuss with you, Melissa..."

The young woman took a seat, putting the small cup down. "Yes?"

Jeremy leaned back in the wooden chair, causing it to creak. "Noah… He's very different from you three… You have noticed it, have you not?"

"What do you mean by 'different'?"

"Noah… he thinks differently… He's clever, and he views things… I… cannot predict what goes on in that mind of his… So, that is why I ask you, do you know of anything… peculiar, that he might be involved in?"

Melissa froze, swallowing hard. She hadn't been expecting that. "…No…" she lied, her head bowing slightly. Jeremy sighed. "…I see… I asked you because… you are, most likely, the closest to Noah out of all of us…"

Melissa nodded somewhat, her eyes avoiding that of her grandfather's. "I may not show it at times, Melissa, but I hope that you and Noah carry on our beliefs… even if you do not aspire for what I may…"

"W-What do you mean…?"

"All I pray for… is that you do not let our sacrifices go to waste…" Jeremy grasped his granddaughter's hands tightly. "I continue our brotherhood's work, Melissa… because I feel that some people deserve Paradise… and you and the others are included in that small percentage…"


	22. Revelations

(A fair warning to all my readers: This is where the story starts to get really, _really_ good… I guess… but this chapter's going to be a doozy, so it might be longer than usual; I have no idea…)

_MichelLover67: _Yes, this is the beginning of the end, in a way, but there are still a good number of chapters left, I think… I plan to make this as enjoyable as possible.

_Gaia Faye:_ The Brangy Competition was something I thought of some time ago, as it was for a more humorous scenario; actually, I might put that in at the end… The easter egg is found with the scene where James is picking up Nicole; it's something Myron says…

_SageoWind218:_ Yes, I noticed that. I'm going to refer you to my response for Gaia Faye. Another hug will be down in this chapter, or the next, too… I give off those little bits of suspicion of Sydney during those scenes, so that's why he's there… You won't kick me now! Maniacal laughter

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Twenty-Two: Revelations_

Christian awoke suddenly, the faint noise of static running through his ears. It disappeared, however, after a moment, leaving the teenager in complete silence.

Had the subway car stopped? He wasn't completely sure, but no one was there to tell him. It was empty; not a single person was inside the subway car, well, aside from him at least.

Christian looked around, his head suddenly coursing with pain. He found his left hand rising to massage his forehead and as he touched his skin, he felt beads of sweat. Why was he so hot all of a sudden?

He removed his vest, setting it down on the rubber seat beside him. He felt faint, his vision beginning to blur. What _was_ going on?

"So I see it is beginning… I am glad I made it in time…"

Christian turned to the voice, the lights attached to the ceiling starting to flicker. "Can you see? It is only the side affects…"

The teenager squinted, trying to make out the figure that was standing at the end of the subway car. He stood up, craning his head forward.

"Side affects…? What… Who…?"

"It is a drug created through the use of White Claudia… I gave you an extremely small amount; just enough to disable you… Its full effect should not kick in…"

Christian attempted to approach the man, his vision recovering very slightly. "I doubt you know who I am... My name is Jeremy Blackheart, a member of The Order, a religious group which originated in the tourist town of Silent Hill."

Christian froze, his eyes narrowing. "T-The Order…? That… cult? So it is real… I should've known…"

Jeremy smiled, not that Christian could see that he was, though. "Ah, good, good… So you do know of our existence… This saves me from explaining most of the situation to you, not that it would help much… but I suppose you should know…"

"What, what are you talking about?" The blonde teenager wobbled back. "Just… Just what is going on here…?"

"Try to relax, please. In any case, I'd like to make this quick… You see, Christian, you are very crucial to our cause… Actually, you _are_ our cause, but you are, in a way, useless…"

"W-What…?"

"I had believed that you were the human manifestation of God, but you are not; you are merely a shell, harboring God's soul… We needed an appropriate host, someone who was, at the very least, somewhat close to you… A friend… I believe some of my associates have already secured that person…"

It was difficult for Christian to take all of this in, but that last part fueled him with anger. "W-Who…? Who did you-,"

"It doesn't matter at this point, Christian, as you won't actually care in a few hours… We must be on our way; there is no time to waste."

And with that, Jeremy removed a handgun from his coat and shot the teenager once in the heart.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"S-So, you t-t-think I c-c-c-could get a d-drive h-h-h-home, J-Josh?" asked Myron as he walked beside the brown- haired teenager.

"Uh, sure, my dad should be here in about half an hour, anyway…" Joshua yawned as he stopped. "Oh, crap, I forgot…"

"What?"

"I have to go pick up this book… Mr. Wells said he wanted to check it out, so I've got to go get it."

"Oh, o-okay…" Myron replied while backing away. "I'll j-j-just go g-get something f-f-f-from the vending m-m-machine."

Joshua nodded and headed back into the high school; he passed Ms. Mason along the way…

"Oh, Joshua is Christian still here?" she inquired quickly, causing him to turn. "Christian? No, he left right after school ended; why?"

"I wanted to ask him about the composition I issued… Where are you off to, by the way? You seem to be in a rush…"

Joshua scratched his head. "I'm picking up something from Mr. Wells; he told me to get it from after school, anyway."

Ms. Mason nodded. "Alright… Have a good day…" Her student nodded back and continued walking, but she watched him.

'Wells… I better keep an eye on him…'

She followed.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mr. Sydney Wells sighed as he read through the last pages of the journal. 'I had no idea Joseph kept a record of the events…'

He rubbed the back of his neck, eyes glancing around his classroom…

There was a knock on his open door. With his back to the entrance, his head didn't turn. "Yes?"

"Uh… I came for the journal, Mr. Wells… Are you done with it?"

"Joshua… Please, could you close the door?"

"Um… okay…" The brunette teenager closed the door, a tad confused by his teacher's actions. "Can I have the journal now?"

"Tell me, Joshua, do you know who Walter Sullivan is?"

Joshua shrugged. "He's that serial killer person…"

"Yes, yes he is… Your father, he… never told you about his stay at South Ashfield Heights, has he?"

Joshua shook his head, still bewildered. "Sir, what does this have to do with me picking up the journal?"

"It has _everything_ to do with it…" Mr. Wells stood, his face and body still facing the chalkboard. "Your father tried to hide it, I suppose; he didn't want to frighten or confuse you… Didn't want to complicate your life…"

"No disrespect sir, but what _the hell_ are you talking about? I just want the journal… I mean, I don't know what my dad did there… was it drug- related or something? Did he do something naughty?"

Mr. Wells chuckled, turning to the teenager. "It would seem your father hasn't been completely honest with you, and I am to blame for that as well."

"Okay… _What_?"

"I am not Sydney Wells… It is merely a false identity I created a number of years ago… It took time, and carefulness, but it made things so much smoother…"

Joshua cocked his right eyebrow up. "So… Okay… If that's true, who are you?"

The man formerly known as Sydney Wells reached behind his head and undid the ponytail, allowing his clean, blonde hair to fall. "I am… Walter Sullivan."

Joshua took his backpack off and dropped it on the floor before unzipping it. "That's pretty ridiculous, Mr. Wells… That guy's dead, now, could you stop with the jokes and give me the journal?" he asked while taking out a granola bar.

"I wish it were that easy, but I'm not joking around…" he walked out from behind his desk, his brown coat swaying slightly. "Walter Sullivan _was_ dead, but that was until you were born… Joshua, please pay attention…"

The teenager looked up as he tore off the wrapper of the bar. "Um, yeah, when I was born… Can I have the journal back now?"

Ignoring the question, he continued. "You see, Joshua, because of you, my life was returned… and I owe that to your father and mother…"

"Uh… The _journal_?"

"Henry never realized it… that you, in a way, were my reincarnation, but if you are my new form, I shouldn't be here…"

Joshua sighed a very annoyed sigh. "Okay, cut the crap, Mr. Wells, and _give me the journal_!"

The teenager stared expectantly at Walter, waiting for him to hand over the red book. Unfortunately, Walter did no such thing. "As much as I'd like to, you can't have it… Not yet, at least… You have to understand first, as you are the _true_ Final Sign… The unison between Receiver of Wisdom and the Mother Reborn…"

Joshua took a bite out of the granola bar. "Okay, fine, I'll listen…"

Walter nodded. "Good… I'm not surprised your parents kept the truth away from you; they might not have understood at the time, either… Do you know what the '21 Sacraments' are, Joshua?"

"Is it something I _should_ know…? You're really confusing me, Mr. Wells."

"The '21 Sacraments' was a ritual in which twenty- one souls were sacrificed to bring about the Holy Mother, who would bring salvation to the nation of sin… I believed it was possible to free my mother through that ritual… Free her from this disgusting world…"

Joshua plopped the rest of the bar into his mouth, quickly downing it. "Go on, go on," said the teenager as he folded his arms.

"The ritual was never completed; the two final Sacraments eluded me, and I died, by your father's hand… but I didn't really die, as it was impossible to completely kill me… I existed, and yet I did not exist… My soul and body had been separated once again, but not for long; my soul found a new host, your body…"

"And is that because my parents were the last two Sacrament- thingies…?"

"Yes."

"Oh, okay… Continue."

"So, I finally understood; the only way to complete the '21 Sacraments' was to kill you, the true Last Sign, but-,"

"Okay, _what_?"

"…but I couldn't, even though I could've easily found your home once I was revived… You see, I awoke in Room 302 of South Ashfield Heights, and I had no clue of what had happened. Then, gradually, the memories began to seep back in… But I also acquired memories that weren't my own… Henry, and your mother, they were both in them, and I began to realize that I was seeing life through the eyes of a child, slowly growing and maturing… And as I learned the truth, I could not… kill you…"

"Uh, why not?"

"A bit of a selfish reason, actually… I was curious to see how having a mother…" Walter swallowed hard, "…and a father was really like. I began to envy you… _hate_ you, for once again I was cheated out of what I really wanted…"

Walter smiled, chuckling. "But I bid my time… Preparing for the day when I would complete the '21 Sacraments'… and today is that day, Joshua."

The teenager yawned loudly. "Okay, are you done now, Mr. Wells? That wasn't a very funny joke, and I want the journal back, but I'll give you points for having a very big imagination."

Walter did not respond, just continued to stare at the boy.

"Can I have the journal _now_? My dad might be here by now, and Myron's waiting too."

"This isn't a joke, Joshua…"

"Then what is it?" Joshua responded, taking a few moments to return his former teacher's stare. His eyes widened extremely slightly.

"You're telling the truth… aren't you?" he asked very nervously, slowly backing away. Walter gave a small nod as he began to approach the teenager. "I've waited sixteen years…"

Joshua's eyes darted around, searching for an escape route, or a weapon, or something!

'Oh God, oh God, oh God…. He's going to _freakin' kill me_!'

Suddenly finding something, he quickly dove for a lone pencil on the desk beside him; grasping it firmly in his right hand he stabbed it forward, plunging it into the serial killer's chest.

'_Score_!'

Walter seemed a bit bewildered; he wasn't really expecting for that to happen. Nevertheless, after a few moments of staring the pencil, he grabbed it and jerked it out.

Joshua stared at the wound, startled, his jaw gaping.

"Now, Joshua… don't be difficult," stated Walter as he threw the pencil to the floor. That was it for the teenager; he pulled the door wide open and ran out.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Myron sighed as he waited for the candy bar to fall from its place inside the vending machine. It was taking forever, as was Joshua, who'd gone to pick up some book from Mr. Wells.

The other machine right next to this one didn't even work at all, and as Myron glanced at it, he noticed that all of the students, teachers, and other people were gone; what was even stranger, was that no automobiles were present. There was a vague mist floating around as well…

"I'm going to get a snack!"

Suddenly, a young woman with short blonde hair wearing something a Gothic person would wear skipped over to the other vending machine, eyeing its contents.

"Hey, Alexis, you want something?" she shouted as she turned back. Myron turned to where she was looking, seeing a somewhat old brown van. It was parked abstractly in the parking lot, and a young man with red hair was leaning against it, his arms crossed. He was pretty much wearing the same black coat, shirt, and pants as the woman.

Receiving no response, Catherine turned back to the machine. She removed a crumpled up dollar from her coat pocket and inserted it into the small pocket; she then punched in a few buttons on the pad, and waited… A few seconds later, something hit the bottom of the machine; Catherine bent down, stuck her hand into the opening, and took the bag of chips before running back to Alexis.

Myron couldn't believe it; the vending machine worked!

As he was trying to understand how it _did_ work, however, Joshua suddenly came running out of the school doors.

"Myron!" he exclaimed loudly as he stopped in front of the geek. "Come on, we have to go…"

"J-Joshua! D-D-D-D-Did you g-get the book?"

"What…? No, no I didn't, but we have to get out of here, he's-,"

Joshua ceased talking as he looked around, noticing the area was empty of life… Alexis and Catherine were nowhere to be seen. "Where the hell is everybody?"

Myron shrugged. "I d-d-don't know. Anyway w-w-w-what's t-the p-p-problem?"

Joshua shook his head. "There isn't time to explain…"

There was a sudden scream, which caused both of them to turn and see Catherine running back to the van and throwing the back doors open. Alexis followed, and he was holding what seemed like a female girl by the arms.

Myron nudged Joshua in the arm. "Isn't t-t-that N-Nicole?"

Joshua folded his arms. "Actually, I think you're right… but why are those people… Wait… It's that guy!"

"W-Who?"

"That guy from the store! He humiliated me!"

"Okay, b-b-b-but what a-a-about N-Nicole?"

"We have to go…"

"What?"

"They're obviously kidnapping Nicole for some reason, so we just sneak into the back compartment."

"W-Wait, J-J-Josh…"

Before Myron could even protest, Joshua was already racing for the van…

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Catherine climbed into the passenger seat of the van, while Alexis got into the driver's. She turned to Nicole, who was gagged, with her hands tied behind her back.

"Um, are you comfortable? Is the rope too tight?"

Since Nicole was gagged, you couldn't really tell what she was saying, but it was most likely a curse.

"Don't bother the girl, Catherine," said Alexis as he put his seat belt on. "We have to hurry."

"But can't we get something to eat?"

"No… we can't; Jeremy wants us in Silent Hill as soon as we can get there; he has most likely already acquired the boy…"

As the two were talking, Joshua quickly opened up the back compartment double- doors of the van and hopped inside. He was soon accompanied by Myron, who was taking a breath from his inhaler.

Catherine and Alexis had no idea of this, and Joshua quickly tapped Nicole on the shoulder. She wiggled over onto her side, looking up at him with a surprised expression.

He smiled and gave her a wave, before pointing at Myron, who was inspecting a blanket of some sort. "I t-think w-w-we can use t-t-this f-for h-hiding," he said in a hushed whisper.

Joshua nodded as the van began to drive away from the school.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Walter Sullivan stroked his chin as he walked up to the window, watching the van drive off. He smiled. "And so the game begins…"


	23. A Mutiny of Sorts

_MichelLover67:_ You're right to have that bad feeling about what's in store for Nicole… as for James, we'll just have to wait and see… 

_diddly day:_ Well, I hope it wasn't that confusing… Nonetheless, it allows me to move on with the story, so be prepared for a few more twists.

_SageoWind218:_ Ah, I'm going to get kicked… Well, maybe not…

_Gaia Faye: _I guess I did make it a little confusing… Heh… Douggy… How humorous…

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Twenty-Three: A Mutiny of Sorts_

"Noah…?"

"Ah, Alexis, I suppose you've already secured the girl?"

"Yes… Yes I have… Catherine is with me also, but we were wondering where Jeremy was…"

"He's currently at the church, I believe… So is Melissa; they have the boy."

"Ah, good… Do you really believe Jeremy will-,"

"Kill him? Most likely. The host must die for the transition to be complete."

"…I see… Well then… We are going to go to Brookhaven church."

"Actually, could you stop by the hospital?"

"Alchemilla?"

"Yes, I have to discuss something with you two, and from there we can travel to the church."

"…Alright, then… We'll stop by Alchemilla."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Henry tried to ignore the burning pain coursing through his head, but it was difficult. Well, why wouldn't it be difficult?

He was driving towards Ashfield High School, prepared to pick up his son; usually, Joshua walked home, and once he got his license he'd be able to drive, but he never asked to be picked up… and he had today.

…This fog…

Henry had noticed it before, how everywhere the fog was life was absent. No people within the fog, no other animals… Even the trees seemed less than lively today.

It reminded him of Silent Hill… but now that town was completely deserted.

He sighed and pushed harder on the pedal, something making him want to reach the school _now_.

And he did.

Out of the fog came the school and he just drove right into the parking lot. He switched to the brakes, and the automobile stopped, allowing him to look around, as the pain intensified.

Yes, just like before, no students littered the school; he saw no other cars, aside from two a little ways off… Wait, there _was_ someone… A man walking out of the school… He had a coat on… _Blue_… No, brown… and his hair… _Blond_…? Yes… And that face… _11121_... _Conjurer_…

_…the Nine spears…_

'What…?'

_…Holy Assumption…_

'No… _No_…'

Henry watched the man as he halted and looked outwards towards through the fog. Henry quickly got out of the car.

"Walter!"

The coated man turned to him, studying him for a moment as he approached. "Ah, _Henry_… I didn't recognize you there; you've aged."

Henry stopped a few feet in front of his former adversary. "What… What are you doing here? Where is everyone else? The students, the teachers?" The brunet noticed the hint of anger in his voice, and he tried to keep it under control.

"Answer me!"

Walter simply shook his head. "I have no idea. Ever since this fog formed, all other people disappeared… It's strange, but I figure, the less people there are, the less of a hindrance."

"But what are you here for? Where _is my son_?"

The blond chuckled. "I work here now, Henry; Arithmetic."

"What do you mean by that? You can't-,"

"Mr. Sydney Wells, that's what I called myself. I created everything I needed, and I took on this persona for fifteen years. And I must say Joshua is quite good at math."

"Joshua? It's him, isn't it? You're not here just to start over, you're after him."

"Correct. Your son is all that's left of the '21 Sacraments', and once he is sacrificed, the ritual will be complete, and I will free Mother at last."

"W-Wait! I don't even know how you're still alive, and _now you're talking about the Sacraments again_?" he responded harshly.

Walter walked past him, looking up at the sky. "Well, your son, in a way, _is_ the Sacraments. Its success or failure resides with him. I am just merely carrying it out."

"…Why?" Henry turned, glaring at him. "There has to be a better reason, Walter, a better reason; a majority of your victims didn't deserve it!"

"But some of them did, Henry… and they got what they deserved… but I do apologize for the ones that were innocent… The ones like you, and Miss Galvin… and Joshua."

"Wait, _just where is_ Joshua?"

"He's on his way to Silent Hill; he and another student snuck into the van of two odd people; I'm not entirely sure why, but I have a good idea."

"And you're going there?"

"Why yes, and I suppose you'll be going too, but I have to get some things ready, and you must inform Miss Galvin… Oh, pardon me, Mrs. Townsend."

Walter smiled before turning away and continuing to walk off towards his vehicle.

"_I won't let you kill my son_!" shouted Henry at the man, who did not stop walking. "I… I won't… You hear me! _I won't_!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Another kick to the door was able to force it open… and Joshua fell out onto the hard ground.

"What the hell was that for, Myron?" he demanded as the somewhat shorter boy hopped out.

"W-well, I h-h-had to p-push you… And b-besides, you c-c-could've j-just unl-l-l-locked the door f-f-from the inside."

"Uh, yeah right," replied Joshua quickly as he got up and looked around. "Question: Where the hell are we, Myron?"

The geeky teenager adjusted his glasses while looking out towards the lake ahead. "We s-s-s-seem to b-be on a-an obs-s-servation d-d-d-deck."

"Um, yeah… The lake… I meant a location of some sort, Myron… Ah, blast this fog."

Myron walked over, looking over the guardrails. "This m-m-must be L-L-Lake T-Toluca."

"_Toluca_?" inquired Joshua with disbelief as he was walking around, dashing over to Myron. "Damn! Christian said something about a 'Toluca Lake'… This means only one thing… We're in that damned tourist town, Silent Hill."

"W-W-What's the p-problem?"

"_We're in a whole other town_, Myron! And this place's been deserted for years, man," stated Joshua as he put both of his hands behind his head. "plus, those people must've been going mighty fast; it's only been a few hours since we left Ashfield…"

"T-Then why d-d-d-didn't they park in t-the c-c-central part of the t-t-t-town?"

"Hmm… You have a point… We shouldn't be bothered by it; we have to get to that hospital they were talking about."

"B-But where d-d-did they h-head off t-t-t-t-to…?"

"I'm pretty sure they went down that path." Joshua pointed towards a dirt road curving a tad downwards and to the left; the fog obscured it.

"Well, let's not waste time, Myron," said the brunet before jogging away into the fog; Myron waddled after him.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Henry closed the front door behind him slowly. His eyes wandered around the entrance hall, and he made his way into the kitchen.

"…Eileen…?" he called out weakly. Henry never was one to raise his voice, and it surprised him that he was able to shout at Walter. Of course, he was not just going to let him kill off hid only son for some damn ritual…

"Oh, Henry, look at what I found," said his wife happily as she stepped out of the hallway holding a large, black, leather-bound book. She approached him, holding it out. "It's an old photo album of ours; I found it in the back room."

He took it unhurriedly, looking down at it with a small smile. "So, how was your day?" she asked while raising his chin and giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"It… was complicated…" he answered before looking up at her. "We have to talk… He's alive… but I, I didn't want to tell you, because… I was afraid…"

Eileen's grin instantaneously faded. "…Are you sure?"

"Yeah…" he replied quietly. "He was at the school…"

"W-_What_?" Her eyes widened. "What about _Joshua_? Where… _Where_ is he? Is he all right, what-,"

"Walter said he was fine, that he-,"

"_Oh, screw what Walter said_!" she yelled, suddenly, causing a startled Henry to drop the album, several pictures falling out and sliding across the floor.

She hugged herself, fighting back tears. "I'm, I'm sorry, it's just-,"

Henry placed his hands on her shoulders, shaking his head. "I'm worried about him too, but he's going to Silent Hill for some reason. I know… I know that believing Walter is a little far- fetched, but I have a feeling he's telling the truth; I doubt Walter is the type of person that lies, as weird as that may sound."

Eileen choked a laugh. "Yeah…" She frowned. "So what, what are we going to do?"

"Well, I'm going to go to Silent Hill… I don't know if Joshua knows about this, but if Walter knows he's gone he most likely explained everything to him."

She brushed back a few strands of hair before embracing her husband tightly. "I want to go with you," she stated in firm determination, all of a sudden. Henry backed away. "I don't know what the exact deal is, Eileen, it-,"

"I'm going."

"But-,"

"I'm going; he's my son too."

Henry, seeing the futility of trying to persuade his wife, sighed. "Well… alright; let's get ready, then."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Noah stood alone in the dark lobby, waiting patiently. His eyes were closed, and he felt the weapon in his coat pocket; now was the time.

The door to Alchemilla Hospital opened, revealing Alexis holding Nicole by the arm, and Catherine not far behind.

"Noah."

"Alexis, I'm glad you could come."

"What did you… wish to discuss?"

"There is no rush, but I'd like for you to close the door."

"I'd like it open."

"…Alright…"

Catherine skipped in, looking around. "Noah, why did we have to come here…? This place always spooks me… What, with the whole deal with that Alessa girl…"

None of the Order members noticed, but two teenagers had darted in and hid behind some chairs…

"Now, what did you need, Noah?" asked Alexis sternly, keeping his eyes locked on him. Noah looked towards the floor, and then up at the redhead. "I wish for you to hand the girl over to me, so I may take her to Jeremy."

"You? We went to the trouble of securing her."

"I'll be sure to inform Jeremy of that, Alexis, so don't worry; please, just hand over the girl."

Alexis cocked his head to the right. "…No… I'm not."

"…What?" asked Noah. Alexis shook his head. "You're not taking her to Jeremy."

Noah chuckled, and then laughed slightly. "Don't do that, Noah… It's scary," remarked Catherine as she scooted behind Alexis.

"What is… so funny?"

"I thought you would resist, Alexis; your loyalty to that dog, Jeremy, is astounding."

" 'Dog'? How dare you call him that?"

"He's just a dog for his fake, religious beliefs… Just a pet, carrying out orders."

"I… can't believe you, Noah. Calling someone who was like a father to us, to you… a dog…? That's…"

The brunet smiled. "Your words don't affect me at all, Alexis, so, for one last time, the girl."

"No."

Noah sighed. "Oh well…" He reached into his coat and removed the handgun. "I suppose you'll change your mind now?"

(Hmm… Did anyone else notice Henry never spoke to Walter during the course of SH4:TR? He only spoke to Child Walter…)


	24. Into the Rabbit Hole

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Twenty-Four: Into the Rabbit Hole_

Static. Statticcy- static. That was all that was coming from the radio, but James never liked it. Not only was it generally irritating on the ears, but it felt somewhat… sad. The message trying to come through would be covered by static.

And it caused him to constantly be on alert; ever since his time in Silent Hill, he would always think some creature was creeping up behind him, preparing to end his life…

He was quick to turn the radio off, and even quicker to look at the approaching school building. This fog and the absolute absence of people… Was it even possible?

James had informed his brother and sister-in-law that he would be picking Nicole up today. He would be leaving back to Pleasant River the next day, so he decided he'd better make the best of it…

_James_…_ I'm waiting for you James... Waiting for you...  
_

…There it was… The school, Ashfield High… James had attended this very same school, back when he was a teenager. But now… the damn fog had wrapped itself around the building. He made out two figures close by, near the entrance.

He stopped the car, shutting it off. He squinted, making out the two men; one was wearing a coat and seemed to be walking away towards a vehicle not so far off. The other person just stood there for a minute before turning back and walking somewhat speedily to his own car.

James got out and made his way towards the school; as he reached the door however, it swung open, and a woman ran out, almost colliding with him.

"Oh, excuse me!" she said quickly before dashing to another automobile. James watched her for a few seconds, but jogged after her. "Hey wait, hold on!" he exclaimed, reaching her as she got to the car.

"Where is everybody? There's, there's no one here!"

She ignored him and fumbled with a set of keys. Upon finding the correct one, she unlocked the driver's seat door.

"Wait!"

The woman stopped and looked at James, her black hair covering part of her face.

"I, I don't know where the people are, they just… disappeared… But I have to go!"

"Who… Who are you?" he asked as she got inside. "Cheryl Mason," she replied while slamming the door. He went around the vehicle, opening the passenger door and peering inside. "Where are you going?"

"Silent Hill," she replied quickly.

"Silent Hill?" He looked mildly surprised. "Why there, in all this hurry?"

"The Order, they took a student of mine; Nicole Sunderland, and I don't have much of a-,"

"Nicole? I have to go with you!"

"W-_What_?"

"She's my niece, and she could be in danger! I can't just let this happen!"

"Oh, wait… Fine, get in; hurry."

James complied, closing the door. "So why are you going? What's it to you?"

"I… have some history with them… Let's just say it's kind of my responsibility. Have you ever been to Silent Hill?... Oh, I apologize; I don't even know your name!"

James smiled slightly as he strapped himself in. "James Sunderland."

Cheryl nodded. "Yes, so, have you been there?"

James cleared his throat. "Yes, yes I have… I went there with my late wife…"

She frowned. "I'm, um, sorry to hear that," she responded while driving out of the lot.

"No, it's all right… It has been eighteen years…"  
---

Zeik kicked the Brookhaven Church doors open before strolling inside, his hands on his hips. "Well, this is a fancy smancy place…" he remarked, looking up at the altar, seeing Jeremy standing and wiping what seemed to be a goblet of some sort.

Melissa was sitting in the front most pew, staring at the unconscious form of Christian Richards which was lying at the front of the altar, on his belly.

Zeik walked forward. "So you're getting ready for that ritual thingamajig?" he inquired while glancing at the various items present.

Jeremy looked towards him, grinning. "Ah, Zeik, why yes, the preparations are almost complete."

"Um… okay, that's cool…" he murmured while turning to Christian. "Is this that kid?" he questioned as he nudged the pale body with his foot.

"Yes, the current vessel of God's soul… Soon, the last tidbits of his life will fade away, and the soul will transfer into a much more compatible host…"

" 'Much more compatible'?"

"Yes, the boy could not control God's power as it lay dormant within that mess of flesh and blood… As it began to awaken, however, certain effects were visible; the constant rain, snow… The weather became worse and worse as God's strength increased, and now that it is at its full potential, the influence is spreading… Soon enough, the surrounding areas will become just like Silent Hill… Forgotten…"

Zeik scratched his head as Jeremy looked towards the blond teenager. "Once God is in complete control of the perfect host, Paradise shall be born…"

Zeik chuckled nervously. "Yeah, okay… Well, I _do_ need to talk to you, but I guess it's not that important… Uh, good luck with all that…" he said. He then turned away and left the church.  
---

Joshua and Myron watched Noah, Alexis, and Catherine converse from their little hiding place.

"I'm c-c-confused…" whispered Myron to Joshua. "Aren't t-they s-supposed to b-b-b-be on the s-s-same s-side?"

Joshua shrugged. "It looks like that guy, Noah, isn't all that happy with this Jeremy person… They're going to do something with Nicole, though, but what…?"  
---

Alexis wasn't fazed by the appearance of Noah's weapon. "You… wouldn't pull the trigger…"

Noah shrugged. "I don't exactly want to, but if I must…"

Catherine giggled frightfully and stepped out from behind Alexis. "You know, Noah, I mean, we're friends, right…? We don't need to use weaponry…"

The brunet aimed the gun at her, his expression unreadable. "Just don't talk, Catherine; anything that comes out of your mouth is utterly stupid and pointless."

"Hey…!" she exclaimed pouting. "That's mean!"

"I told you to _not talk_."

Before she could object, Alexis grasped her arm. "He's serious… Catherine… Do not… pester him…"

"I suggest you listen to Alexis; he thinks," Noah said. This obviously struck a cord with Catherine, as her bottom lip bulged out and her eyes watered. "How… How can you be so _mean_?" she asked loudly while darting behind Alexis.

Noah disregarded the comment and looked back at Alexis.

"What… do you plan… to do, if I were to hand her over?"

"About the same thing I'm doing now. I intend to stop Jeremy from completing his ritual… and I won't hesitate to kill him."

"…I see…" Alexis shook his head. "I always knew something was different about you, Noah… but I never thought… you would go this far… Doesn't it even… bother you, in the slightest?"

"Why should it?" Noah folded his arms. "Just because I've lived my entire life with you three, why _should it_ bother me? Do you believe I am required to acknowledge you as friends, because, in truth, I don't? I see you, Catherine, and Melissa just like I would any other person."

"What… do you mean by that?"

Noah looked around, sighing. "I can't explain it, actually. You all believe in Jeremy's, no, _The Order's_ pointless dogma, and that amazes me. You know it's nothing but lies, yet you still assist him?"

Alexis shook his head. "I believe, to some extent, what he has told us over the years… It is only normal; he taught us so many things… I see no problem with it."

"You don't seem to understand, Alexis; you know full well there is no God, and even if there was, he wouldn't save you from the sins you have committed."

Noah sighed. "Enough, this is pointless; just give me the girl."

"…No… I cannot allow you to do this… It is… inhuman…"

"_Inhuman_?" The brunet laughed, raising the pistol. "Alexis, as long as it is within a human's capability of doing, then I don't consider it 'inhuman'."

And with that, he pressed the trigger down, and shot the gun.

Time seemed to slow down as the redhead watched the bullet fly forward, straight at him. He winced as the bullet penetrated his abdomen, blood seeping out of the wound.

"_Alexis_!" Catherine screamed while catching his falling body, his eyes locked on the emotionless Noah, who watched him falter.

"Fool…" Noah said before reaching out and grabbing Nicole's arm firmly; she attempted to resist, but he cocked the weapon once more, immediately silencing her.

"Hold on!"

All four of them turned their heads to see Joshua quickly stand from behind the chairs, accidentally bumping his head on the way up. As he rubbed the spot, Myron rose as well.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? Have you two been here the entire time?" asked Noah, somewhat in an amused fashion.

"Uh, yeah, pretty much; we stowed away in their van and followed them to the hospital," answered Joshua while pointing at the sobbing Catherine and the wounded Alexis.

"Y-Yeah, and she's our f-f-f-f-friend!" cried Myron as he motioned towards Nicole.

"Oh, really?" Noah smiled slightly. "Interesting… Perhaps you know the boy, as well…?"

"What was that?" questioned Joshua as the nineteen year- old chuckled and walked past Catherine and Alexis, leaving the hospital.

"Hey, wait a second!" called Joshua, but Alexis shook his head. "He's going… to Brookhaven Church," he stammered, shuffling over the center of the room.

"That passageway… it was here, right… Catherine…?" he questioned weakly as she walked over to where he was at. "Y-Yeah, I think…"

The two teenagers eyed them suspiciously. "What passageway?"

Alexis grimaced as he cupped the wound. "An underground passage was constructed to link this building to the church; it was… used by earlier Order members… during Alessa Gillespie's life…"

Catherine nodded. "If that girl really is your friend, you can use the passage, but it's pretty old… There _is_ a spare lantern down there, though…"

Joshua scratched his head. "I'm very confused, but I guess it could work… Will you be coming with us?"

She shook her head. "Nope… I have to make sure Alexis is okay…"

The redhead was unlatching some hidden hooks at the time, opening the secret shaft in the floor.

"If you go down there, and… follow it… you should reach Brookhaven Church… but you must hurry…"

Joshua and Myron walked up to the edge of the black, square, opening. "Wait, how can we be sure we can trust-," Before Joshua could finish, however, Catherine had pushed him into the opening. Myron took a gulp, and looked at Catherine. "W-We'll d-do what we c-c-c-can, I g-g-guess…"

The cult members nodded as Myron jumped into the darkness below…

"_Oww_! Myron! Watch where you land next time!"


	25. Complexities

_MichelLover67: _Heh, Jamesdoesn't have the Great Knife anymore, but don't worry about that. Zeik is the type of person who doesn't exactly care about anything, aside from himself. Besides, there's no one around to get him for it… In my opinion, giving the Order members actual personalities is more realistic…

_SageoWind218: _You ask a lot of questions. Anyway, I have no idea how I'll get Walter's hug down… and he was in the last chapter; the coated guy… Alexis may die, he may not, but rest assured, characters will die, I just hope you all won't get after me for who I kill off; all of you are getting all touchy because Alexis and Catherine may die…. Gee… Didn't think I could make characters people like…

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Twenty-Five: Complexities_

_"Have I told you four the myth of the Nine Spears?"_

_The three children sitting in front shook their heads silently, but a young boy, who sat a few feet behind them, alone, only stared at the man. The light coming from the crackling fire illuminated the man's slightly wrinkled face as he leaned back in the old, wooden rocking chair._

_The two boys were roughly around the same age; the red- haired child had barely turned six, and he looked attentively at the adult; the other boy was only of five years, and yet his gaze was directed forward, very seriously._

_The seven year-old blonde girl sat the farthest in front; she was munching on a chocolate bar of some sort. The final child, also seven, had short, raven black hair, and was hugging her knees to her chest._

_"As you all know, the Conjurer can only be truly killed by penetrating his body with the Ninth Spear, the… "key" to the…"_

_"Descent of the Holy Mother."_

_The man smiled, reached forward, and ruffled the carrot- top's hair. "Excellent, Alexis, you've been studying, I presume?"_

_The boy nodded, and the man glanced at each of the children. "As you know… the first eight spears return the Conjurer to his mortal body… but the Ninth Spear is required to completely destroy Him…"_

_"Why is that?" inquired the blonde girl curiously. "Well, Catherine, the Conjurer cannot be eliminated like normal people can; His body may die, but his soul will live on…"_

_"Is… there really a Ninth Spear?"_

_"Oh, no… It is only a myth; I sincerely doubt it is real; the existence of the Conjurer, Himself, cannot truly be proven."_

_The youngest boy stood up suddenly, his brunet hair falling slightly over his eyes. "But there is a Conjurer, right?"_

_The man sighed, staring into the boy's dark eyes. "I don't wish to lie to you, Noah, but I cannot say… The 'Descent of the Holy Mother' is something I did not pay much attention to, and I regret it now, actually."_

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Walter Sullivan watched quietly as the waters of Lake Toluca flowed, his coat swaying slightly in the wind.

He heard an automobile behind him, but he knew exactly who it was; there were two other vehicles parked on the deck before he arrived. A clunky, maroon van, and a smaller, cobalt blue car. He noted that the latter belonged to Cheryl Mason, a Language Arts teacher for freshmen and sophomores at Ashfield High School.

"It's been so long…"

"Eileen, we have to hurry; he's probably already here."

"I know, but…"

Walter chuckled, his smile returning as Henry Townsend and his wife approached from behind.

"How fortunate of us to meet again," stated Walter as he turned, facing the two. Henry stopped, obviously concealing his anger, but his spouse froze, mouth open slightly.

"You… _You bastard_!" she yelled before running at the blond, preparing to attack him in some way. "Eileen, stop!" Henry exclaimed as he ran forward and wrapped his arms around her waist, trying to stop her.

He succeeded, and pulled her back while Walter adjusted his coat. "There isn't a need for violence, and I'd much rather not injure either of you."

"_Injure us_? You tried to _kill us_!" spat Mrs. Townsend as Henry released her. Walter frowned. "Yes, I should apologize for that… It wasn't anything… _too_ personal…"

"Where's Joshua?" asked Henry sternly, suddenly, and the blond shook his head. "I really don't know; I just arrived, but I would think he is wherever those people are."

"People? Who-"

"They are members of The Order, which is a secret cult that originated here, in Silent Hill."

"The Order?" Henry clenched his fists. "That's the same cult that Joseph was researching, isn't it?"

Walter nodded. "Yes, that is correct, but if it really is The Order, which I am quite sure of, then Joshua isn't in any less danger."

Eileen was about to remark on this statement, but Henry quickly grabbed her by the shoulder, shaking his head.

Walter turned away. "I would suggest taking the same path as I do; I doubt you'd want to get lost."

He then walked off, humming…

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Dammit, Myron, it's pitch black in here!"

"S-She said t-t-t-there was a l-l-lantern d-down h-h-here…"

"Yeah, but where?"

"I t-t-think I f-found it…"

A few moments after the shorter teenager said this, a dim light ignited, showing the green, fluorescent, lantern dangling slightly in Myron's hand.

"That helps," stated Joshua as he took the lantern, waving it around. "Let's get going; I don't want to eat my granola bar down here."

"Y-You b-b-brought a granola b-b-b-bar?"

"Yep, it's in my pocket."

Joshua gave Myron a smile before starting towards the foreboding darkness, the wood beneath his feet creaking with every step.

Myron grabbed his arm. "H-Hold on…"

The brunet turned back, freeing his arm from Myron's grip. "What?"

"I'm… af-f-fraid…" he stammered, hugging himself; it had suddenly gotten colder. Joshua sighed. "Just relax, Myron, there's nothing to be scared of. I mean, sure, our only source of light is this lantern, but that's why we've got to hurry," replied the teenager before grinning and starting off.

Myron watched him for a few moments, before looking behind him; what was that scraping noise? It was most definitely getting louder…

"W-W-W-W-Wait up, J-J-Josh…"

Meanwhile, Joshua was whistling an unfamiliar tune, his eyelids drooping. "J-Josh…"

"What now, Myron?"

"T-T-There's a w-weird noise b-b-b-behind us…"

"Yeah, okay, that's nice."

"I'm s-s-serious."

"Okay, cool."

"B-But…"

"Just _relax_, Myron."

"…Alr-r-right…"

"Look, you can hum your favorite song; it helps."

"You're w-w-whistling, t-though."

"Let's not get technical; the point… _Oof_!"

"Are y-you ok-k-kay?" asked Myron as Joshua sat up from his fall, the lantern miraculously unbroken.

"I'm fine…" he answered while taking the lantern and holding it above the object he'd tripped over: a small, pocket radio.

Joshua reached out and grasped it, examining the radio. "What's a radio doing down here?"

Myron shrugged as Joshua stood up and set the lantern down; he flipped the item around in his hands.

"Weird…"

Suddenly, however, the radio turned on, emanating loud static. This startled the two boys, and the brunet dropped the radio. It hit the old, wooden floor, bouncing once before lying still, static still coming.

"What the…?"

Joshua took a few careful steps toward it, nudging it with his foot. "Hmm…"

The radio split apart unexpectedly, though, and a great shadow cast itself over the remains, static still emanating strongly.

Myron and Joshua attempted to look into the darkness, searching for what was the host of the shadow. A powerful gust of wind swept through them, and the taller teenager swiftly grabbed the lantern. "Myron…?" he shouted over the howl of the wind.

"Y-Yeah?"

"_Run like hell_!"

And with that, the two sped off into the darkness…

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Melissa held the golden cross loosely in her hands as she leaned back tiredly in the cushioned pew. Her black hair was strewn about somewhat messily, and she watched with surprise as Christian Richards began to stir.

"Grandfather…!"

Jeremy glanced at her and then to the boy, smirking. "He is resistant, but soon enough it will all be over…" He knelt down beside the semi- conscious body, staring at it. "Your role is almost complete…" he muttered as the entrance doors to the church opened slowly, allowing for Noah Franklin to step inside.

Nicole had calmed down much from leaving the church, but most of it was from the fact that Noah was in possession of a weapon… She gasped under the gag upon seeing Christian.

"Noah… where are Catherine and Alexis? Did they not accompany you?" asked Jeremy as he stepped down from the altar. Melissa had turned, and was now looking towards Noah worriedly.

"There were a few unexpected problems with the van; they allowed me to bring the girl in their place; they will be arriving shortly," lied the brunet plainly as he kept his gaze on Jeremy. The older man crossed his arms. "Very well then; the most important thing is that _she_ is here now; the future shell of God herself."

Noah half- nodded. Nicole was obviously frightened by this, as her expression changed and she fidgeted.

"Now then, there is no more time to waste. The transfer _must_ begin shortly," said Jeremy as he approached. "I will take the young woman."

"No, you won't," came a firm voice from behind.

The Order members looked back, and saw Cheryl Mason aiming a handgun at Jeremy, and the figure of James Sunderland not too far behind.


	26. Bullets, Bullets, and More Bullets

_MichelLover67: _Why yes, I did create the Ninth Spear; it's… a crucial part of the story. No, I have not heard of 'Bible Black', and neither do I want to… Thank you for the compliment and you are the only person I've seen that uses that type of icon.

_Gaia Faye: _Yep, Ninth Spear… GO JAMES!

_SageoWind218: _I didn't even notice it was a cliffhanger… Yay, no kicks… I'll see what I can do about the hug.

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Twenty Six: Bullets, Bullets, and More Bullets_

Noah turned completely around, facing Cheryl Mason as she brought her weapon up just a little. Jeremy had been taken completely by surprise, but he recovered from the shock and frowned.

"If it isn't… Alessa, correct?"

Cheryl scowled at him, the gun in his direction now. "I suppose so… and you are?"

"Jeremy Blackheart; pleased to make your acquaintance," he replied while folding his arms. "Though I am curious… Just how exactly did you discover our location? And, from what I can infer, our motives?"

Noah chuckled somewhat loudly, smirking. "So Melissa didn't inform you of my actions…? Huh, I figured not."

Jeremy glared at Noah as he turned back. "_What_? Explain yourself, Noah."

The nineteen year- old dropped his grin. "I informed Miss Mason of our actions, and even though she did not decide to assist me, I knew she would, in the end, come to Silent Hill to end this."

"You purposely told her? _For what reason_?"

"I have been constructing my plan to destroy this… _pathetic_… cult since when we first arrived in Ashfield. It's taken some time, but I believe I am finally ready to complete my goal."

Jeremy stood there for a moment, speechless. "You… You would dare… to do such a thing… _Noah_?"

The brunet shrugged. "You've been feeding us all lies since we were mere children. You planned to use us as little drones for your schemes, but I intend to finish this all… right now."

He reached into his coat, revealing the same pistol he had used to injure Alexis. Jeremy backed away slightly, his teeth ground. "How…? Why, when…?"

"That isn't important, Jeremy, but you had the chance to have stopped me. Melissa, however, who knew about it, never told you; I guess I was right in my decision to reveal it to her."

Jeremy gradually looked over to Melissa, who was standing, clutching the golden cross to her chest fearfully.

"You… knew…?"

She shook her head quickly, distressed. "No, Grandfather, I…! I…"

"Melissa is the type of person who doesn't like to disappoint her family and friends… but it seems that she chose me over you… Of course, you wouldn't think of that possibility, would you? I am not the only disloyal "follower"."

Jeremy let out a dry gasp, looking towards the floor at the body of Christian Richards. "I was mistaken in my judgment, then…"

As this was happening, James had arrived at the church, immediately rushing to his niece. "Nicole!"

Noah had released his grip on her, so she ran over to him, who swiftly did away with the rope and gag. "Uncle James!" she exclaimed while embracing him tightly. "Are you all right?" he asked worriedly as she let go. "Yeah, I'm fine, but how did you get here? Why is Miss Mason here?"

"She drove me here, when I got to the high school," he answered as Jeremy looked up.

"…And what of Catherine and Alexis…?"

Noah laughed, ending it with a sigh. "I couldn't tell you; I have no idea, but I can assure you there will be no need to worry," responded the brunet as he aimed his weapon at the older man and…

"_Stop_!"

Melissa had run up between the two, guarding her grandfather. "I didn't think you'd go through with it like this, Noah! Please, just stop!"

"No. How about you just get out of the way, Melissa; I'd _hate_ to have to waste a bullet on you."

Before she could even reply, though, the sound of footsteps and humming coming from the entrance of the church alerted all of its occupants to the presence of another person.

The footsteps, as well as the humming, ceased.

"Am I, interrupting something, by chance?"

Walter Sullivan glanced at each person for a second, especially towards The Order members. "I suppose I am…"

"That's… Mr. Wells…" thought Nicole aloud as Cheryl looked at him and then back to the cultists. Noah cocked his right eyebrow up, staring at Walter curiously.

"Mr. _Sydney Wells_…"

"Please, call me Walter, Walter Sullivan, Mr. Franklin."

Noah seemed a tad confused, but just as he was about to respond, a loud thud sounded throughout the room.

"Get the door _open_, Myron!" came a muffled cry from what seemed to be below the church.

"B-But w-what about t-the thing?"

"Forget about it! The lantern's almost out!"

"Ok-k-k-kay!"

A square segment of the floor suddenly lifted slightly, dust falling from its loose edges. The sound of squeaking hinges attacked the ears of them all as the square swung up completely, revealing an open space of equal shape and size.

"Hey, Myron, can you see what's up there?"

The head of Myron Cartland rose from the darkness, examining the inside of the church. "W-Well, N-N-Nicole, her unc-cle, that N-N-N-N-Noah guy, Miss M-M-Mason, and… Mr. W-Wells, are h-here."

"_Mr. Wells_?"

Myron was suddenly launched from the pit, landing a little ways off as Joshua Townsend climbed from below and onto the floor.

"Ah, I see they showed you the underground passage…" said Noah as Joshua turned to him, grimacing. He looked around at the altar, noticing the body of his friend…

"Christian!" he shouted, pointing at the boy. Noah, and most everyone else, looked towards the altar. "Oh yes, the current "host" of "God"."

"What do you mean?"

"What are you two doing here, anyway?" inquired Cheryl, gaining their attention. "Well, it w-w-was J-J-Josh's id-d-d-dea…" answered Myron, acquiring a glare from Joshua.

"You agreed!" he retorted, but then a gunshot rang throughout the building.

"Let's not get too rowdy, now," advised Walter as he tucked the gun back into his coat. His gaze traveled to Joshua. "I must tell you, Joshua, your parents should be coming quite soon, so-,"

Another shot, and Walter staggered back, a second bullet colliding with his chest.

"Don't waste my time, Mr. Sullivan," warned Noah as the blond fell onto his back. Joshua winced at this moment, pain running through his chest. He grasped his shirt, suddenly falling to his knees.

"J-J-Josh!" yelled Myron as Nicole and James ran over to him. "What happened?" she asked quickly as the brunet slowly got up, drained. "I… I don't know…"

Cheryl had looked over at him for a few moments, but she snapped back to see Jeremy pulling up Christian. "I won't… allow for this to fail… not after everything that has happened, all the people that have been sacrificed…"

With Christian's arm and the back of his vest gripped firmly, Jeremy dashed out of the church, past Noah and the still figure of Walter Sullivan.

"Come back here!" hollered Cheryl while she gave chase. James followed, so did Nicole, and Myron, who helped Joshua up fully.

"Y-You s-s-sure you're ok-k-kay?"

Joshua nodded, giving off a wary glance at Walter, before running off after them.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Melissa just stood there, staring at the open door. 'Grandfather…' She went after them hastily, and Noah only looked on, not even noticing Walter as he got up, brushing off his coat.

He smiled. "You're going to have to try harder, Mr. Franklin."


	27. Speedy and Quick

_MichelLover67: _I might not add the basement thing is… Nice little thingamajig there, though… and because I like to please my readers… _ZEIK IS IN THIS CHAPTER_!

_Gaia Faye: _Pretty much.

_SageoWind218: _I dunno… He might be in here… Um… I have an idea for the hug…

_diddly day: _I'd never give up on it. Yeah, it's cool. Heh, I might even do a sequel… or just add on the… _UNCUT FORBIDDEN CHAPTERS_!

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Twenty Seven: Speedy and Quick_

_"Look Sis! I did it! I tied my shoelaces!" exclaimed the young boy with glee. His glasses were crooked, and his hair had been combed messily. The seven year- old boy had obviously tried it himself._

_The teenage girl, her dirty blond hair tied back, had a huge smile on her face as she ruffled his hair and giggled. "Great job, Anthony! You got the bunny ears down!"_

_"Uh huh! And I did it all by myself!"_

_The girl dropped her smile though, and frowned slightly. Her bright yellow blouse and faded jeans were both wrinkled, as if she'd just quickly thrown them on._

_"Anthony…"_

_The boy, Anthony, wasn't listening. He was looking at his red buttoned shirt quizzically, for some reason._

_"Anthony?"_

_He looked up at his sister now, a smile so bright on his face that she couldn't bring herself to tell him._

_"Yes, Nancy?"_

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zeik sat quietly on the bench, his eyes studying what was written inside the notebook. He sighed. He set it down slowly. Was that a headache…?

No… Wait… A shape… in the fog… A… puppy?

Yes… Yes, it was a puppy. A chocolate brown puppy, with big, black eyes. Zeik raised an eyebrow.

Aside from those blasted Order members, this puppy was the only sign of life he'd seen in this deserted town, and he was actually happy for once...

The small animal gradually made its way toward him, and he regarded it with careful eyes.

That was when he heard it. The howl.

It was not a normal howl. No. He had never heard such a thing in his entire life. It sounded like a wolf, but he knew it wasn't. And it was close.

Zeik stood up from the wooden bench, his hands patting around his cloak, searching for his weapon. The puppy was just staring at him, with its big, black eyes…

Just staring…

…Staring…

…_Staring_…

_Dammit_! _Why did it keep staring_?

But then, it was gone. Completely gone. And Zeik cringed as the howl sounded again, but this time he saw it. Five figures, coming from all sides. They were growling.

Five dog-like creatures, their mouths open, allowing their blood soaked teeth to show, approached him. 'Oh my…'

Their red, corpse-like bodies were covered with a horrid odor, and Zeik quickened his search for his gun… but then one leapt at him.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the time they made it outside the church, Jeremy was already gone, a red car speeding through the streets away from the building.

Cheryl, however, wasted no time in walking up to Melissa, who had just barely gotten outside.

"Where did he go?" she asked sternly, and the younger woman backed away. "I… I don't know…"

"Yes you do." The teacher brought up her handgun, glaring at her. "I just… I…"

"What? You don't want to betray him? From what I inferred back there, you already did."

Melissa looked away at the ground; her grip around the cross tightened. "I… didn't know this would happen, I just... I just don't-,"

The cross fell to the ground, bouncing a couple of times as Cheryl slapped Melissa straight across the face. "Shut up. You're not anymore innocent than Noah or him, so don't try to worm your way out," she stated harshly. Melissa just continued to stare at the ground.

"Lives are at stake here; are you prepared to be partly responsible for them?"

"Ms. Mason, stop!"

That was Nicole, and she ran up to them. "Please, just tell us where he took Christian," she said to Melissa. "Where could they have gone?"

"…The lake…"

"Why there?" suddenly asked James. He looked at her intently. "That… is where the sacrifices took place…"

Cheryl sighed. "Alright then… Will you be coming with us?" she asked quickly, her gaze traveling around.

"I can't…"

"Can't or won't?"

No answer.

"All of you into the car," she commanded quickly walking towards it. Joshua, however, had walked up to the golden cross while Melissa was looking towards the vehicle.

Something about it seemed alluring to him… and he had to pick it up, only to wince and drop it upon having it in his hand.

"W-What's wrong?" questioned Myron as he approached. "…Nothing…" murmured Joshua in response as Myron looked down at the cross and acquired it.

"D-D-Did it s-s-s-scratch you? The p-pointy p-p-part?"

"No… it just… burned my hand…"

"But it's f-f-freez-zing…"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Noah frowned, his arm falling. "I don't understand… I _shot you_…"

Walter's smile grew. "It's a side affect of being split from my soul; it is impossible for me to die."

"What?" Noah asked with a chuckle. "That sounds ridiculous and, unless I'm mistaken, Walter Sullivan is dead."

"In a way, that's true, but not completely dead, but not very alive either."

The brunet cocked his head to the right, smirking. "I could care less about that; I just want to finish this quickly; I don't have all day."

"Allow me to pick up the pace, then," replied Walter as he removed his own pistol from inside his coat and aimed it at Noah, ready to pull the trigger…

The weapon fell out of his hand instead. He grasped his right hand, steam rising from his palm. "No…"

Noah used this to his advantage and planted his gun against Walter's head.

_BANG_.

The blond lurched back, but stumbled forward and fell to his knees; the crimson liquid ran down through his long hair and to the dusty floor.

"Let's see you recover from that," said Noah with a smug grin. Walter's right hand slowly reached for the gun.

"…Gladly…"

It went up as fast as lightning, a burst of fire sending the bullet shooting past him, barely grazing his right arm. Noah winced and cupped the small wound with his left hand. Walter stood up, the pistol up and ready to be fired.

With a laugh, he shot again twice, and the traitor stepped out of the way, the small projectiles smashing through a ruined window.

"Please don't make me waste my time," threatened Walter calmly as he glided over to Noah, who had dove behind the first set of pews, his handgun raised.

He pressed down on the trigger three times rapidly, without a second thought. They bought him a few moments as Walter staggered. Noah scurried away, finding a nice little hiding place behind the altar. As he crouched there, breathing frantic, he inspected his weapon.

Out of bullets.

Out of the _damn bullets_!

He heard Walter laugh once more, and it was such a horrid laugh… full of superiority…

Hold on… there was still a chance… if he was quick enough…

"It's useless, Mr. Franklin… Surrender."

Noah ignored him, his eyes falling to his coat pocket. _The silver bullet_.

He didn't want to use it… he'd had it for such a long time… Maybe… Maybe it was time to use it… if he wanted to make it through this…

"Fine then, Mr. Franklin. I gave you a chance."

Noah cursed under his breath. 'If only…'

His hand slid into the pocket, bringing out the bullet. He loaded it into the gun. And, he acted.

Standing fast, he shot the bullet, but he hadn't expected Walter had unleashed his own. It couldn't be avoided… It was like an explosion in his lower gut; he saw blood spray over the flooring, and he cried out. The silver shell seemed to have heavily affected Walter as well, as he caught his chest, where it had collided.

Noah felt faint, but ran out of the church.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What _the hell_ happened over there?" demanded Joshua to Cheryl as she drove through the fog. Myron was holding the cross, looking to her curiously also. Nicole and James were silent.

"Just wait a minute! What are you two doing here anyway?"

"We snuck into their van," answered Joshua. "Those two cultist people… that Noah guy shot one of them."

Cheryl glanced at both of them, sighing. "You really shouldn't have…"

"It's not like I had much time to think! _He_ was going to kill me!"

"What? _Who_?"

"Mr. Wells! No, wait, whatever he's called! He was going to put a damn bullet in my head! Or whatever!" shouted Joshua back, suddenly furious.

Pain exploded in his chest once again though, and he fell back into the seat, attempting to regain his breath.

Cheryl looked back at him worriedly when James gasped. "What… What is that?"

The woman turned back to the road, only to see the shape of a dog within the fog. And she was going to drive right into it. Sudden impulse caused her to spin the steering wheel to the right, and the automobile spun around, crashing into a nearby building.

(Oh, and _diddly day_, the _UNCUT FORBIDDEN CHAPTERS_ are just some chapter ideas I couldn't fit into the overall story. Remember when I said I was going to put random chapters in, and you said no? Those are the _UNCUT FORBIDDEN CHAPTERS_.)


	28. Evil Doggies and Granola

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Twenty Eight: Evil Doggies and Granola_

Nancy Williams passed away one early Sunday morning. She was only sixteen years of age, but the disease was not merciful. Her death was a heavy blow to the Williams family, as Mr. Williams, the cofounder of the Langer Company, had previously died in a tragic airplane crash.

The last immediate survivor of the family, Anthony Scott Williams, was sent to live with his godfather and godmother…  
---

…It took a full moment for Joshua Townsend to realize he was lying flat on his stomach. The heavy mist blocked out his vision, and the only thing he could make out was his granola bar a few feet in front of him. He weakly got onto his feet.

He looked around, squinting, trying to see through the dense fog. What had happened to the others?

"J-Josh?"

The brunet spun around, seeing Myron limp out of the fog behind him. "Myron!" exclaimed Joshua. "What happened to Nicole, and Ms. Mason, and-,"

"I d-d-don't k-know… The c-car's gone."

"_What_? That can't be! It crashed into some building… Damn, how long-,"

A growl. A _sinister_ growl. The two turned, eyes wide, as a peculiar doglike beast glared at them, bloody fangs showing. The granola bar lay at its feet…

"_My bar_!" Before Joshua could react the creature snatched the bar up into its mouth and sprang off. "Get the hell back here!" yelled the teenager as he rushed after it. "H-Hold on!" came Myron's call.

Joshua wasn't listening though, his mind set on catching up with the thing and getting his granola bar back. Of course, four legs are faster than two… Still though, he pushed on through the fog- ridden streets, the mist swirling at his feet.

He strained his ears trying to focus on the monster's sounds as it disappeared into the fog. Soon enough, though, it came into view. He watched as it let the bar fall out of its mouth and sniff it.

"You damn dog thing!" he hollered while lunging at it, knocking it over. They rolled for a few moments before he ended up kneeling above it, hands wrapped around its neck. "Damn you, damn you, damn you, _damn you_!" He banged its head repeatedly against the asphalt, the pace growing… until the creature stopped resisting.

"Stupid dog…" muttered the brunet harshly as he stood up and turned to gather his beloved granola bar. However, his triumph was cut short when five more beasts appeared from the fog, surrounding and circling him before he could even blink.

"Oh… shoot…"

He noticed the granola bar was right behind the dog directly facing him, and Myron was standing a little ways off. "Uh…"

'Just shut up!'

Joshua remained deathly still, not wanting to provoke the things. Yeah, that was something. He'd never seen or read about an animal like these. They looked almost exactly like bloody corpses of regular canines… and they pretty much were.

One of the monsters grew tired of waiting and sprung towards the teenager suddenly. Luckily, someone fired a gun, as the creature was shot down in the middle of its jump. All of the other beasts turned immediately, fangs bared as someone dressed in black came forward out of the fog. "Now, now, little puppies, run along before I have to unleash my bullets on your undead asses."

Two more gunshots rang through the air, frightening the dogs off. Joshua watched as Zeik walked into view, stopping when he saw the teenager. He gasped dramatically. "_You_? **_Again_**?"

"Um… yeah… Who are you again?"

"Hey, it's y-you… that w-w-weird g-guy…"

Zeik turned to the voice, grounding his teeth while Myron approached. "The geek! Ha, splendid! I can enact my revenge now! Perfect!" He raised the gun, grinning widely. "Prepare to _die_!"

"Oh _yeah_!" Joshua said while snapping his fingers. "I remember you now! You're that jerk who blew up mom's car! And you made that robot dog attack me at that store! And you made the Happy Burger explode!"

"I l-l-l-liked eat-t-ting t-there…"

"And you tried to do something else! And-,"

"_SHUT UP_! Damn! Can't you be quiet for one _second_?" Zeik exclaimed while covering his ears tightly. After about a second he recovered, his crazy gaze jumping from Myron to Joshua, who looked around, locating his granola bar. "Yay!"

He darted over to it, picking it up and waving it around which caused Zeik to leap behind Myron frightened. "Put it away! _Put it freakin' away_!"

"What?" Joshua dropped it into his pocket. "It's not like I'm going to eat it now; got to save it."

A howl reached their ears, and all three turned their heads to the sound. "Uh oh…"

"H-How m-m-many b-bul-lets do you h-h-h-have l-left?"

Zeik glanced at the gun, shrugging. "I don't know; not many."

"That's not good," Joshua remarked, much more serious. "We better get moving!" With that, he dashed off in the direction opposite the sounds; Myron followed as fast as he could. Zeik only stared at their disappearing forms within the fog, and he sighed.  
---

Noah burst out of Brookhaven Church, his left hand placed loosely on his most recent face. He'd underestimated Walter Sullivan, or whoever he was, and paid the price for it. He was forced to waste that silver bullet, the one he had with him for years… but it was pointless to think about that now. He had to find Jeremy Blackheart.

_How_ he was going to find him was the problem. There weren't any vehicles available; it's not like he could drive in his current condition anyway. He had only one choice: he would have to find Jeremy's destined location and somehow get there. Knowing Jeremy, it would most likely be Toluca Lake… for a multitude of reasons.

Noah ground his teeth, trying to control the pains that would jump throughout his body. His vision blurred just a little, but he could make out two people making their way towards the church. He looked around again, noticing Cheryl's car already a fair distance away.

'I should take an alternate route… If, for some reason, I'd end up encountering them… Best to play it safe for now…'

With a groan he forced his way towards the left, out of the sight of the couple.  
---

_That boy, Myron Cartland… Yes, he was a student of his, and now he was running after him… Him… Was it really him? No… It was Joshua… Joshua Townsend… Yes… That's it…And that man… What was his name? He'd seen him a few times… Zeik… was what he called himself…He was running too… after Joshua and Myron… Myron… that night, the night he met with… Douglas… Cartland… Yes…_

Walter Sullivan gagged, clinging to the edge of the wooden pew. He was on his knees, his head on absolute fire.

_A cross… gold... Of course… the handicapped man… He gave it to her… and now it was close to him… No… close to Joshua..._

Walter had gotten used to these brief, sudden "flashes" since his revival about fifteen years ago. They happened at random times, but were usually extremely short, showing him only bits and pieces of what was occurring with Joshua Townsend. The longer visions, however, he experienced while dreaming…

The doors opened, and Henry Townsend walked inside, soon followed by his wife. He eyed Walter warily, glancing so often at Eileen. "What happened here?"

"…I'm not sure…" answered Sullivan as he rose, regaining his composure, "but I do know Joshua isn't here. I believe he went with Cheryl Mason and an accomplice of hers. I don't know exactly."

"Mason?" That was Eileen. "You mean the teacher from Ashfield High School?" It was clear to both men she was trying to keep herself from exploding on the spot at Walter in a very violent manner, but that would be terribly unwise, as well as unnecessary.

"Yes," Walter replied with his eerie grin, however, it was obvious it was somewhat forced. "It is the exact same person. She seemingly has some connection with The Order, but that is not of my concern any longer." The blond cleared his throat. "I believe I have some useful information for you, though…"

"And what might that be?" responded Henry in the most calm tone he could summon at the moment. "Well… I think I may know where Joshua is..."


	29. Boom Boom Baby

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Twenty Nine: Boom Boom Baby_

"Wait! Dammit, _wait_!" yelled Zeik as he rushed after Joshua, who ignored him and kept on running. Zeik didn't like being ignored though, and randomly fired his gun in Joshua's direction. This would certainly stop the teenager, and it did.

He spun around, a nasty look on his face. "What the hell was that? You could've shot me!"

"Well, it's not _my_ fault I don't like being _ignored_! Now, where are we going?"

"Somewhere where those dog things won't bite our asses off, now let's go," he answered quickly, but another person caught up to them, out of breath.

"Myron!" Joshua exclaimed, his tone watered down a bit. The shorter boy glanced at both of the others; he wiped his sweaty palms on his black jeans. "I'm f-f-fine," he said, "But t-those d-d-d-dogs…"

"Yes, yes, yes, we know the dogs are coming to rip us to bloody pieces. Why, I have no idea, but that's not the point. The point is, they're coming, and we need to move," Zeik stated, and looked around. Joshua followed his gaze, a tad confused.

"What? What is it?"

The man smirked and pointed towards a building somewhat nearby. "There. The nice little puppies should have trouble trying to get in there… or they could be eluded until they just, I don't know, give up…"

"H-How d-d-do you know f-f-for s-sure? We, We don't k-k-know their c-c-ca-ca-capabilities."

Zeik turned to Myron, clearly flustered. "Look, I don't give a you-know-what if you don't want to go. I could care less, honestly. But if you have a better idea, I'm all ears."

Myron didn't say anything else, and while Zeik shrugged and began walking, Joshua placed a hand on his shoulder. He smiled and gave the slightly geeky teenager a light push. "Come on now, don't be so gloomy!"

Myron nodded slowly. However, he looked up at the brunet, quivering. "J-Josh… I have a b-b-b-bad, bad feeling… T-T-That c-cross thing, I still, still h-h-have it…"

"The cross?" Joshua scratched his head as Myron reached behind his back and brought out the item. It glinted slightly, and Joshua folded his arms. "Hmm… Well, it's just a cross; don't know why that girl had had it in the first place. Nothing to worry about."

"Alright… if you, you s-say so…" replied Myron while placing the cross back in his right back pocket. The taller teenager smiled and went after Zeik, but as he did so, a distant siren sounded.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Specks of snow floated softly to the ground. The sky was dark and Cheryl awoke, the sound of sirens swirling through her ears. She groaned, a dull pain steadily increasing in the front of her skull.

But the sirens were growing louder… and louder… and louder…

Still quite groggy, she shakily got to her feet; her vision returned to its fullness quickly, and her head turned, trying to find something to acknowledge. It didn't take long for her to realize she was back at the observation deck, where she'd arrived with James Sunderland perhaps a little more than an hour ago.

"How… How long was I out…?" she mumbled, a peculiar tranquility invading her mind. It had not been snowing before she went unconscious. Wait… Why couldn't she remember what had happened!

Something then brushed against her leg. She bowed her head to see a… _puppy_. 'A dog? What the…'

_Come on Alessa… It's time…_

The animal started to move forward into the fog, stopping occasionally to look back at Cheryl. She interpreted this as the puppy wanting to follow it, which she did. It did not advance too fast, nor too slow; it kept itself in her sight.

That unusual blanket of serenity wrapped around her brain once more, and she couldn't bring herself to question the animal's origin or purpose. Stranger yet, she _knew_ something was putting her to this extreme ease…

It was only after a minute or two that the dog stopped. Cheryl didn't though, and soon saw pieces of metal scattered across the ground. A tire had been flung to the side, and her eyes widened when she saw a ruined vehicle a few feet before her. It lay in shambles, large gashes apparent in its design. She gasped and looked around, seeing a similar thing with another, bigger car. She assumed it was a van, and a maroon one at that. It had been sliced cleanly in half, oil dripping from an exposed pipe.

Cheryl's own car, however, was nowhere to be seen, and just like that, the drowsy calmness from before vanished. The fog had diminished slightly, and she could see a man standing at the rails, his back to her. He was shuddering, his black gloves clenched around the horizontal, cylindrical steel in front of him.

Sunlight oozed forth from behind the clouds and the area was shone upon briefly. The mist hovered away gently.

"You… Alessa… I suppose we were not excluded from the town's relentless wrath… On the contrary, we were the ones it targeted most…"

Cheryl recognized the voice vaguely, but it wasn't until the man turned around to face her that his identity became clear. There he was, Jeremy Blackheart. His face was caked with dried blood, and he was shivering just a tiny bit. Christian Richards was there too, lying on his back. His face was extraordinarily pale, but he was breathing normally. It was like he was sound asleep, immersed in some terrific dream.

"Your perspective of The Order, I would assume, is that we are all evil, crazed lunatics, correct? That is your general opinion on my brethren and I, is it not?" asked Jeremy suddenly, his voice nearly emotionless; it sounded as if he was far off, his thoughts revolving around something totally different.

"…It was…" answered Cheryl quietly, her eyes wandering over to Christian. "…it was for awhile…"

Jeremy nodded. "Yet Sister Claudia never spoke to you exactly like I am now, right?"

"…Vincent did… but he… he wasn't really all that much like her either."

"Of course, for you see Father Vincent was an excellent example of how many of us were. When I had been around his age, around the time my daughter had been born, I was very suspicious about our brotherhood's actions. I could not… _believe_, like some of them did… but that changed the night the girl was burned. I noticed the occurrences immediately. I had thought it absolutely _inhuman_ what Dahlia had done… using her _own daughter_…"

Jeremy sighed, looking back out at the lake. "For that short period of time I distanced myself from them, but I could not get rid of the idea in my head… No matter how hard I tried, my faith started to burn bright… I eventually returned to my brotherhood, but times were rough… A man, a nonbeliever, he interfered, and that interference resulted in the death of Gillespie and Kauffmann… Not long afterwards Stone and Rosten met their ends as well."

"We pushed through though, but when I thought nothing worse could happen… My daughter passed away after giving birth to my granddaughter, Melissa… however, I knew her death was meant to be… that it was a necessary, even if minor, step on the road to Paradise…"

The man walked over to Christian, watching him intently. His gray, gray hair glistened in the light, and he let out a disappointed sigh. "And yet… we were wrong… God never came into being and led us into Paradise, we just continued to drift downward and downward… Now, whatever was left of The Order is gone… Tell me, Cheryl, are you happy about this?"

He looked at her patiently, not really angry, yet not exactly delighted either. She had listened, not entirely paying attention to it all, but she still absorbed the main information.

"Well, you people just… took lives as if they meant nothing. I'm not saying all of you, but… first impressions last, so, yes, I am happy; happy that your "sacrifices" will finally come to an end."

Jeremy chuckled. "Who knows, really...? I cannot guarantee you that other remnants of The Order still exist. I… cannot even guarantee anything any more… I was so sure this would work out perfectly, that everything we… _accomplished_ had a purpose in the end… Alas, I suppose I was wrong, that we were _all_ wrong…"

"Y-Yes, for once you're right about something, Jeremy… finally r-_right_…"

Cheryl spun around and saw Noah Franklin approaching, his left hand placed on a portion of his coat covering the right side of his abdomen. That part seemed wet with something, and he was limping, obviously in pain.

Jeremy looked to him, sighing. "Noah. I see you are injured."

"Like you should care. I wouldn't be in this condition had it not been for you."

The older man nodded and closed his eyes. His head bowed. "Yes, I realize that… but even if you do kill me, it is already over. Whatever force The Order has been acting with has begun to immerse itself with this world. The boy, Christian… soon he will be gone… The time of the Awakening is soon…"

"I understand that, but I refuse to die until I'm finished with… what I must do," stated Noah as he stopped. Cheryl glanced from him to Jeremy, confused.

"Awakening? What-,"

"Yes, the Awakening; it is the time God awakens from the ashes of the war between the Conjurer and the Receiver. God would rise in the form of a young maiden, and the blood spilt from the Conjurer and the Carrier would ignite the flaming road to Paradise… It is just another legend spread throughout The Order… Yes… it was my favorite…"

"Mine as well…" said Noah thoughtlessly. He shook his head.

"So, now what? When is this awakening supposed to happen?" demanded Cheryl as Jeremy ran a hand through his hair. "I began plans for the ritual sixteen years ago… so I would presume that in another hour or so… That is all the time left."

"An… An _hour_? How…"

Christian murmured something suddenly, rolling over on the rough ground. Noah grinned all of a sudden, his right hand reaching into the opposite coat pocket. "It doesn't even matter anymore," he said, shaking his head. He brought out a sharp shard of painted glass.

Jeremy sighed one last time upon seeing the thing. "What do you really plan to do with that, Noah? I'm curious."

The brunet shrugged. "To tell you the truth, I have no idea. I picked it up from the window that man shot… that blasted stain- glassed… _window_… But I think… I think I know…"

"No… No, please! You can't just kill him!" exclaimed Cheryl at him as she stepped between him and Jeremy. "He's the only one who knows how, how to save him!"

"Let him be, Alessa."

She turned around, giving Jeremy an incredulous look. "Let him… _be_? He's going to kill you!"

"That… That is fine. Besides, there really is no way to stop any of this… It's over… Completely over…"

"_Over_? After all this… you're just going to _give up_? There has to be a way to save his life!"

"That's just it. His life was never meant to be saved."

Noah winced and walked past her, carefully rotating the glass with his free hand. "He obviously doesn't know a way to save the boy, so there's nothing else to it."

Cheryl backed away from them while Jeremy just stood there and watched Noah approach.

"May I… inquire something of you, Noah?"

"G-Go… ahead…"

"Alright then… If you go through with this… how do you think it will affect them? Alexis, Catherine, Melissa… I'm sure it crossed your mind at one point or another."

"Indeed, it did, and I gave it some thought." He looked down at the glass. "However, it's not… up to you… or me… anymore…"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The church trembled violently, unexpectedly, and bits of dust fell from the ceiling. Walter Sullivan didn't seem fazed by this occurrence, his statement still hanging in the air.

Henry ground his teeth, his patience suddenly running thin. "Look, just stop playing games. Our son-"

"I'm not playing games, Henry. Games are for children. And unless I'm mistaken, none of us here are children."

Before Henry or Eileen could even respond to him, another, more powerful tremor struck the building. The ceiling began to give way, large chunks of it falling to the floor. Dust and sand lifted up, and Henry hurriedly shielded his wife. The blond did nothing to protect himself as he was separated from them by the massive pieces of stone and wood.

With an odd smirk he turned and left the church.


	30. Cinders

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Thirty: Cinders_

"Where the hell are we now?" spoke Joshua, his voice bouncing off the walls and around the room. Myron was standing next to him, his wide eyes inspecting their surroundings. Zeik merely grunted.

They were in what seemed like a lobby of some sorts, which, like every other place in the town, was abandoned. Chairs were toppled over, windows were shattered, and the paint on the walls had thinned incredibly.

"Does it matter?" Zeik questioned, annoyed. "The poor bastards obviously didn't keep up with their payments… Hell, I could say the same about this whole, raunchy town!"

Joshua scratched his head. "You're the one that wanted to come."

"I wanted to wait for things to simmer down out there before going out and pissing everyone off like I always do." He picked up an overturned stool and took a seat. "And when I want your opinion, you know, I'll actually _ask_ for it. Didn't you learn any manners when you were wrapped up in diapers at age five?"

Joshua cocked any eyebrow up. "Didn't you? I've never seen you _not_ act like an ass."

Zeik didn't respond, and the younger boy left it at that, deciding to pick at a few pieces of fluff that had gathered on his jean jacket. Myron just leaned against the wall, the golden cross still clutched tightly in his right hand. Silence slowly overtook them, but Zeik felt the right to fidget, and it quickly irritated Joshua.

"Can't you sit still?" he demanded, but the eccentric man shrugged.

"I'm bored," he said. The brunet sighed and looked towards one of the windows… until the floor shook slightly. The shaking stopped immediately, however, but the two teenagers turned to the wooden floor. Zeik ignored it, but it started again, more furious this time around. Joshua stepped forward, eyeing the floorboards suspiciously. "What the…"

With every second that passed the shaking grew more and more violent; the walls soon trembled, and dust fell from the ceiling.

Zeik groaned as the stool he sat upon rattled and began to move. "Stupid piece of crap…" he muttered before getting off of it and kicking it across the room in frustration. "I guess they couldn't afford _quality_ products _either_…"

But in the instant afterward the floor exploded in bits of wood and dust, a great shape rising from underneath it.

"_What the hell_?" screamed Joshua suddenly; backing away from the mess as he saw the shape took form. What stood before him was an extremely tall man, or at least what it _looked_ like, wearing a blood-stained white gown of some sort. Its skin was a deathly pale color, and a foul odor emanated from it, causing the teenager to scrunch up his nose in disgust. A grand, black, pyramid- shaped helmet lay upon its head. One caught the most of Joshua's attention, however, was the _massive_ blade held in its hands, which was raised above its head.

"That's one hell of a-,"

With inhuman speed the thing swung its weapon horizontally at the brunet, who luckily ducked as the blade ripped through the wall behind him. He scurried away too, right before the sword of sorts dove into the ground.

Joshua was speechless, but he then noticed Myron cornered up against the wall. "_Myron_!" The slightly geeky boy was frozen on the spot, staring up at the colossus in front of him. He squeezed his eyes shut, shivering. "N-N-No, no, n-no, no…"

A bullet zipped through the air and penetrated the creature through the back. It flinched, but turned, unharmed, and set its attention on Zeik, who had his gun aimed straight at it.

He smirked and shot once more, striking it in the chest. Like before, though, it was seemingly not affected, and only stalked forward towards him. Zeik cursed silently, reaching behind him to grasp one of the legs of the stool he kicked earlier. With a cry he launched the piece of furniture at it, but the stool _broke_ upon impact. "See, what did I tell you? _Poor quality_!" he exclaimed.

"What-What _is_ that thing?" Joshua shouted in fear as the demon continued to approach them as if the stool had never collided with it. Without a moment's hesitation Zeik dashed to the hallway leading out of the lobby. The brunet teenager watched as he went, but looked back in terror to see their attacker before him, weapon ready.

However, there was a sudden growl, and several dogs from earlier jumped through the windows and into the room, speedily biting at the stronger demon and aggressively attacking it. Two of the dogs latched on to its left arm, and another clamped its jaw on the creature's shoulder. The mighty entity grabbed that hound by the neck and flung it across the room. With quick reflexes it slashed the dogs away; black liquid seeped from the demon's shoulder wound, and Joshua acknowledged that it could be hurt. And if something can be hurt, it can be killed.

"Unless you want to bite it, _hurry up_!" called Zeik, waving at both him and Myron. They ran after him as he bound up a set of stairs located at the end of the hall. The hulking being knocked the last minor demon to the side before following after them, its great knife tearing apart the floor as it dragged it behind itself. As it neared the stairs, however, more of the dogs crashed through the door, the smell of granola reaching their heightened sense. With much eagerness they raced after the four.

Myron, who was at the rear, glanced behind him to see the powerful colossus of a creature gaining on them. He heard the sounds of the dogs as well, and saw two of them lunge at the larger entity, that knocked them off.

"T-They're c-c-c-coming!" said Myron excitedly, his left hand fumbling for his inhaler as he ran. He was growing more and more tired by the second, but he disregarded it; these things were going to kill them if they were given the opportunity.

Joshua looked behind him quickly, but stopped. There were stairs no longer, just a long hallway with a single door at the end. Zeik was standing before it, his arms folded. The boy winced and darted forward to it, giving the doorknob a good pull. "Damn, the lock's broken!" he said as Myron caught up to them.

Zeik sighed while the other two turned back to see one of the dogs crash against the wall and land in a heap, lifeless. Their hunter grunted as it walked into the hallway, its giant blade held at its side. A hound hung over its shoulder, dead, and it grabbed it by its legs and threw it to the floor. "Shit!" said Joshua, looking back to Zeik. "What are we going to do? We can't the door open!"

"That's where you're wrong," answered Zeik with a grin. He brought the gun up and fired at the doorknob, blasting it apart. The door swayed a little, and he kicked it open, right as the demon started its way towards them.

They all left through the doorway… but they didn't get far, as they were on the rooftop of the building.

"How the… How did we…" Joshua trailed off, sighing. There was a distorted chuckle behind them, and they turned to see the creature behind them, laughing, as if he was taunting them.

Myron glanced down at the cross, and Zeik aimed at the demon and pulled the trigger, but there was only a _CLICK_.

He stared at it for a second. "Well that just plain sucks," he stated, looking at Joshua and Myron for a moment. The creature-the pyramid head- bowed its head and continued towards them. "Are you, uh, sure you're out of bullets?" inquired Joshua hopefully as they backed away. Zeik nodded. "Yeah," he replied and dropped the pistol.

Suddenly, however, the sound of sirens rang through the air, and the pyramid head looked up to the sky, alert, as if the sirens were _telling_ it something. It spun around all of a sudden, while the dogs from before exited the hallway, their wounds bleeding tremendously.

"Did they… come back to life…?" thought Joshua aloud, watching as the demons growled and snapped at the pyramid head. Two more were moving around the entrance of the hallway.

"Shoot… We're not getting out of this," said Zeik without even a hint of emotion in his voice. Myron looked up at him as he said this, noticing his eyes a bit wet. Was he crying?

The dogs leaped at the pyramid head, but it swept them aside, effortlessly, with its weapon. More of them sped out of the hallway and attacked it, but a few wandered away and set their sights on the three humans.

Before Joshua could even know what hit him, one of the hounds jumped on him, having him down in an instant. He kicked at it, hurriedly crawling away, which caused his granola bar to slip out of his jacket pocket.

"My granola!" he yelled as the hound went for the bar, but he was fast enough to tackle it down. Before he could get it back, though, another one sunk its fangs into his arm; Joshua cried out, but the dog was suddenly sliced in half by the pyramid head. It turned to eliminate him next, but Zeik grabbed the back of his jacket and pulled him out of the way. One of the dogs then soared at the demon, giving the two enough time to get away.

"But, my granola bar!"

"Forget about the _damned granola_!" responded Zeik.

Myron, while this was all occurring, was standing completely still, a chill running down his spine. Joshua, who was holding his arm firmly against himself, ran over to his side, while Zeik stayed a little ways off.

He looked back at them, and then to the demons as they struggled against each other. He slowly reached inside his coat, bringing out a plain, black sphere. His head raised, and he saw her, standing at the doorway, her sandy blonde hair running down her shoulders. She was wearing her favorite yellow jacket, over that pink blouse her aunt bought her for her last birthday. "Nan…cy…" choked Zeik, his legs feeling weak.

The sphere fell to the floor, rolling towards Joshua and Myron as he fell to his knees. "Nancy… Nancy…" he sobbed, his voice cracking. The pyramid head walked up to him, its giant shadow covering him.

He stopped himself from falling completely with his hands, tears gathering up in his eyes, but never falling. "…_Nancy_…"

"What the hell's he _doing_?" screamed Joshua desperately as the sirens sounded once more. The remaining dogs immediately crumpled to the floor, as if the life had been sucked out of them. Zeik didn't notice, only sobbing a little.

The creature before him extended its left arm at him, grasping him by the throat harshly. He made a strange sound as he was lifted into the air, the sirens growing louder and louder.

Myron cupped his ears, the sound too intense. Joshua, however, heard nothing, at least nothing as loud as what Myron was hearing.

The black- haired man didn't even try to struggle, his arms falling limp.

_Sinner…_

One tear slid down his cheek.

_Sinner!_

He gasped for air as his throat was being crushed.

_SINNER!_

"L-L-Let… L-Let… _Let him go_!" shouted Myron, his voice booming over the sirens. They stopped instantaneously, and the pyramid head released Zeik, who became aware of what was happening the moment he hit ground. "Huh…?" he mumbled to himself. Everything went silent, aside from the gentle breeze blowing through, and Myron stood there, breathing deeply. A second later, the sirens began once again, and the demon bowed its head and raised its blade.

Zeik got to the side quickly, things reaching his head at an amazing speed. "The bomb!" he hollered to the others. "_The bomb_!"

Joshua looked around, finding the somewhat small sphere cast off to the edge of the building.

"Hurry! Throw it to me!"

The brown- haired teenager grasped the object and heaved it to Zeik, who caught it with the utmost ease. "Now," he said, shaking the bomb, "get the hell out of here."

"_What_?" asked Joshua.

"I said, _get out of here_!" repeated Zeik as he avoided a slash. He glared at the two boys, a grim expression on his face. "Don't worry, I'll stall him. This bomb makes quite a big _BOOM_, and I have to blow this guy up, so unless you want to be obliterated, get the hell out of this place!"

Joshua contemplated this for a moment, as Myron stepped up beside him. "C-C-Come on, J-Josh, l-l-let's g-go."

He glanced at him, and then at Zeik while the pyramid head prepared another attack. "…Fine…" he agreed, and sprinted to the hallway, with Myron close behind.

Zeik turned back to the demon, moving away. He struck the sphere hard with his fist and threw it to the floor right in front of the creature.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Uncle James! Uncle James, wake up!"

James Sunderland awakened, his niece staring down at him with a concerned look. He blinked a few times, sitting up. "Nicole… What… What happened?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. The last thing I remember was Ms. Mason's car crashing into that building, and then waking up here. Then there was this explosion, somewhere else in the town."

He scratched his head, looking around. They were sitting on the street somewhere, the fog seemingly gone. James got up, his eyes wandering around. "An explosion?"

"Yeah, just right now," she replied while standing. He folded his arms. "We'd better find that teacher of yours, and those two other boys…"

Nicole winced. "Oh yeah, Josh and Myron! They came too!"

James nodded. "Let's not waste time."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jeremy shook his head, looking back out onto the lake. "No, Noah… No…"

The traitor chuckled weakly. "No? I'm correct, and you know it, Jeremy. None of us are in control anymore! Don't you see it?"

Cheryl watched them quietly, her gaze falling on Christian. Did he deserve this fate? She cursed at herself. This was all her fault, in the end. It was because of her that he was going through this… he didn't deserve it…

Jeremy sighed. "What is this… that is driving you, Noah?" questioned Jeremy emotionlessly, pure curiosity behind him. Noah looked him straight in the eyes.

"The fact that my life, my _existence_, is meaningless."

Then, in a flash, the shard of glass dove into Jeremy's abdomen. The older man gasped as his skin was punctured; blood flowed from the wound and over the glass. Noah backed away, his own wound taking its toll as Jeremy's eyes glazed over and he fell.

Noah stared at him for a minute or two, his teeth ground. "D-Damn…" he murmured, and collapsed against the railing himself. Cheryl was speechless, angry.

"You… _You stupid fool_! He was the only one who may have known how to save him!" she exclaimed, referring to Christian. Noah just shook his head.

"He said it himself: the boy's fate has been sealed," he stated, looking up at her seriously.

"I refuse to believe that," she retorted, kneeling down beside Christian. He seemed peaceful, but his skin was extremely pale, and he was quite cold, sp much that he was shivering and his teeth were clattering. She brushed a strand of hair away from his eyes, something triggering inside of her. There was this sudden feeling within her, a feeling that was very unfamiliar.

"There… has to be a way to save him," she said confidently. "There has to be!"

The brunet sighed. "Just as persistent as ever… but I wouldn't know of a way… Jeremy never told us much about this specific ritual, or whatever it's called…" He fidgeted slightly before holding out his free hand. "Could you lend me your gun?"

"Huh?"

"The gun. You have it in your back pocket."

Cheryl reached behind herself and felt the pistol. She had forgotten about it, but she slowly realized why Noah wanted it. "No," she said. "I can't have you do that; I need your help!"

"What does it matter? I'm going to die anyways…"

"But you must know something that can help me… save his life! You don't understand…. If he dies… I, I…"

Noah let his hand drop. "It's too late, in any case. It's over. You were too late, just like I was. We both failed, don't you see?"

Cheryl ground her teeth. "_Dammit_! This… this can't be happening! He's going to die, and it's my entire blasted _fault_!" She suddenly grasped his coat collar and shook him. "You have to know! I won't allow him to die! He's just a kid, just a damn kid!" She was losing control of herself fast, and it was still too late…

Christian let out a yawn and stretched out. He groaned and stood up, and Cheryl practically fell back in surprise as he looked up at the bleak sky with a smile on his face. He faced them with a serene expression. "…Why hello there," he said, sirens blazing from out of nowhere.

They cut through the air, but before anyone could do anything, there was a distant explosion in the town.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The whole building was falling apart, and Joshua Townshend and Myron Cartland raced down the stairs, into the lobby area, and straight out of the place. It crumbled behind them, and Joshua glanced at the ground with his eyes closed, ashamed.

Myron looked down at the cross in his hand, and then at Joshua.

"W-What's wr-wrong?" he asked while the other boy clenched his fists.

"…That stupid, stupid… _imbecile_… There wasn't a need for that! He was just making a damn excuse to die!" he said furiously, kicking at a stone jutting out from the rubble.

"It's n-not your, your f-f-f-fault, J-J-Josh. He ch-chose t-t-that way…"

"Well it still doesn't make it alright! And then I went and just… _let_ him do it!" Joshua turned away, sighing. "I'm… I'm sorry… I just… I just don't know what the hell's going on anymore! I mean, one minute I'm going to get a stupid journal back and the next I'm running around an abandoned tourist town with undead dogs on my ass!"

Myron didn't respond, as he was now staring the person who was approaching them.

"J-J-Josh…"

"What?"

"L-Look."

The fifteen year-old raised his head to see Walter Sullivan standing before them, a triumphant grin on his face.

"Hello Joshua, Myron…"

(Phew… This chapter was pretty long… Hopefully you didn't get bored with it!)


	31. Goodbye for Now

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Thirty One: Goodbye for Now_

South Ashfield Heights, an apartment complex in the city of Ashfield has had its share of strange occurrences. Since the disappearance of the investigative journalist, Joseph Schreiber, the second-to-last-tenant of Room 302 of the same building, things have never been quite right there. Two years afterward, Richard Braintree, the tenant of Room 207, was found dead in his room, sitting in the chair that looks towards the other side of the building. The numbers '19121' were carved into his forehead, and just a few hours later Eileen Galvin, resident of Room 303 was brutally attacked. She survived, due to the superintendent finding her in a pool of her own blood after hearing a scream and calling for an ambulance.

Many of the residents were incredibly frightened. Galvin had the numbers '20121' carved into her back, and they believed the 'Walter Sullivan copycat' had somehow broken into the apartments. After three other murders earlier that day, in which each victim had similar numbers on their corpses, police had been scrambling around the city and various other locations nearby. They were amazed at how quickly the murders occurred. Whoever was responsible was moving at a dazzling speed, and no evidence could be found at the scene of each crime. Not even a single fingerprint.

Because of the similarity between the recent numbers and those from the last two rounds of the Sullivan case, police believed the same perpetrator, or another copycat was at work. It was impossible for Sullivan himself to have been committing the murders, since he had killed himself in his own jail cell by plunging his soup spoon into his throat.

So, considering that there were no leads in the case, the tenants of South Ashfield Heights were extremely fearful, and most were up the entire night. Frank Sunderland, the superintendent, expressed concern for Henry Townsend, the resident of Room 302, since he had not left his room in the past week or so. None could be sure of his condition, but Sunderland was dreadfully sure something similar to what happened with Joseph Schreiber was happening. Schreiber had not been for seen for about two weeks before his disappearance, and peculiar noises came from inside Room 302…

However, the next morning Townsend was found lying on the sidewalk outside South Ashfield Heights, weary and starved. His shirt was stained with crimson, and his eyes were dark. He was rushed to St. Jerome's hospital when seen by passerby.

Townsend was questioned by police, but they could only get a small piece of information from him: the numbers '20121' were actually '20/21'. There was virtually no evidence to pin Townsend as a suspect, but the twenty- first victim was never found, even after sixteen years. It's impossible to say if there even is a twenty- first victim, and whether or not that person was murdered or still alive.

A year after that, though, Frank Sunderland was struck by a near fatal heart attack after checking Room 302, which was currently empty, Townsend having moved out a few months before. Sunderland said something of "darkness in the room", and that "a powerful force sent him out".

These things were reminiscent of several very strange events in the tourist town of Silent Hill, which is about half-a-day's-drive from Ashfield. The town was rumored to have been controlled by an ominous religious organization. Little to no proof of this has ever appeared, however.  
---

Cheryl couldn't think of anything to say as Christian smiled at her. "Ah, Mother, I hope you have been doing well. Things have been quite hectic lately, I know, but soon all will be clear. I am here to enlighten you."

"…On what?" asked Noah plainly, his voice strained. He should have been dead by now, but something was keeping him alive, prolonging the inevitable.

The blond boy looked to him. "On just a few things, Noah. The ritual is nearly complete, so, before he dies, I felt I should answer any questions, while there is still time. I'm sure you have things you wish to ask, and besides, when God rises from the depths of eternity, it will have no time to answer meaningless inquiries."

Noah snickered. "God? Don't start with that again. I'm tired of hearing the same thing about '_Paradise_' or '_God_'. I don't know who you are, and personally I don't care, but I will not believe whatever it is you call _God_ exists."

Christian giggled with amusement, cocking his head to the left while staring at the brunet. "Such firm defiance, but it matters not. You are no longer needed, whether you believe or not." He crossed his arms and sat on the ground across from him. "To be honest, though, you were the only intriguing one out of them all. I remember Gillespie, and Stone. Called themselves _believers_… It is humorous, looking back on how pathetically they acted. They were not worthy, but you, Noah Franklin, had the capability to become worthy. Yet you abandoned this. You are admirable, but what have you accomplished?"

Noah gritted his teeth. "I accomplished what I needed to be at peace!"

"But you are not at peace, are you? Having second thoughts, correct? Let me fill you in on something, my friend… When someone, such as yourself, decides to embark on the bold path you took, they must be sure they will leave nothing behind, but you are leaving something behind, aren't you? Something you just realized is dreadfully important…"

The nineteen year-old got shakily to his feet. He shook his head furiously. "Shut, _shut up_! You have no idea about how I feel, and much less what I think is _important_!"

Christian only smiled. "It is too late for you now, though. You're going to die, and there is nothing left for you to do," he said, with something of a sneer.

"You're going to mock me now…? What… What gives you that right! You're no better than I am!" Noah cried with rage. "…Why…? Why, damn you! Tell me! _What was it all for_? Tell me…"

He crumpled to his knees, shaking uncontrollably. He sobbed and yelled out, tears streaming down his cheeks.

'He's breaking down,' thought Cheryl without much sympathy. As if he could read her thoughts, Christian glanced at her.

"Pitiful, don't you think? Humans are so inferior. They need someone to hold their hand the entire way, and if someone doesn't… well, this is what happens."

The woman was about to respond, but Noah suddenly rushed at her, tearing the pistol from her and aiming it straight at Christian. "You blasted _thing_… You can't just tell me I'm _nothing_…! I chose this for myself, I swear I did. I'm not a puppet of yours, and you don't have the _right_ to tell me I'm insignificant!"

"Oh, put the gun down, Noah," said Christian as he stood. "You won't pull that trigger. You can't. And even if you did, you wouldn't kill me. I'd still be here, but the boy would be dead, much like he will be soon."

Cheryl approached him slowly. "You mean he's going to die…?"

Christian nodded. "He will… lest the Conjurer spill blood."

"Conjurer?"

"Yes. As it goes in the Last paragraph of the Crimson Book…

'_When all gather on the sacred spot, the Crazed One will surrender his life,_

_The Mother shall seek her Son,_

_The Carrier will pass his will onto The Maiden,_

_The Controller will attempt to halt thee,_

_The Conjurer will face himself,_

_And the Receiver shall weep,_

_For when the time of the Awakening is reached,_

_God will awaken from the ashes of the war between the Conjurer and the Receiver,_

_In the form of the Maiden,_

_And the blood spilt from the Conjurer and Carrier will ignite the flaming road to Paradise…'_

"Lovely, isn't it," stated Christian as Noah cocked the gun.

"I hardly think so… Jeremy recited those godforsaken lines so many times to us I memorized them perfectly… and I never liked them…"

"Yes," replied Christian, "but Jeremy Blackheart knew not of who was the Conjurer or the Receiver… He knew only of the Carrier, the Son, and the Mother."

Noah shrugged. "Like I care, Jeremy is dead! It means nothing, that paragraph means nothing!"

"Oh, you are wrong," responded Christian with a grin. "The Crazed One has already given up his life, the Mother has already sought out her Son, the Carrier, however, failed to pass on his will to the Maiden, and the Controller has tried to stop the others. All that is left now is for the Conjurer to face himself."

"Whatever!" spat Noah as he fired the gun, only for it to turn out empty of bullets. Christian chuckled. "Even the pistol mocks you now, Noah. What are you to do now?"

The young man threw the gun to the ground. "Damn you… Damn you, damn you, _DAMN YOU_!" he screamed before collapsing on his knees, blood flowing freely from his previous wound. "You won't… mock me anymore… You won't tell me… I'm inferior… You… _You_…"

Then he fell completely, dead, a pool of blood gradually growing out from underneath his body.

The blond teenager shook his head disappointedly. "So much potential wasted… He had it within him to be…"

He stopped. Turning back to Cheryl, he grinned. "Oh well, seems my time is up." His eyes closed and he stumbled backwards, unconscious. Cheryl caught him as two shapes became visible in the fog.

"Ms. Mason! Ms. Mason!" exclaimed Nicole as she ran up to them, but ceased running immediately upon seeing Noah. "Oh my God…!" she said while backing away. She turned away to James, and he squinted.

"How, how did he die?"

"…He wasn't given a chance, that's all… He died with something left behind…" she muttered in response.

Nicole looked at her uncle, and then back at Christian. Cheryl sighed. "We better get on our way. We have to get him to a hospital," she said, nodding towards Christian.

"No!" replied Nicole suddenly. "We can't, I mean, Josh and Myron are here somewhere too. We can't just leave them here."  
---

"What are y-y-you d-doing here, here, Mr. W-Wells?" asked Myron curiously, taking a few steps forward.

"It's not Mr. Wells, Myron," stated Joshua with grim seriousness. Walter smirked and slowly walked towards them.

"You certainly have been a nuisance to catch, Joshua, but soon this will all be over. I can finally be with Mother, be free from all this."

"I still don't get it," said Joshua. "Just why are you doing this? Why are you trying to kill me?"

"Why?" Walter chuckled. "It is because you are the key, Joshua, the final piece in this grand puzzle. My entire life has been devoted to this, but now it is really the only thing left I can do. I am nothing more than a shadow now. Existing as I do, it is horrible, and I cannot go on like this."

Joshua looked to the street while Myron scratched his head. "Y-You c-c-can't k-kill him… T-That's, I mean, that's…"

"Wrong?" Walter finished. "Unfortunately, you are in no position to tell me what is wrong and what is right, Myron." He glanced toward him, and then saw the golden cross.

He was silent and expressionless, but his eyes did not leave the cross. "How did you come across that?" he demanded quickly, causing Myron to back off.

"J-Joshua f-f-f-found it after that g-girl left it behind, behind."

"…A girl…?" Walter thought for a moment, smiling. "Oh yes, I remember now. How foolish of me. Yes, that young woman acquired the cross from that old man, and they escaped from the fire…"

He looked back at the cross with a stern expression. "Now, then, give it here."

"W-W-What?"

"I said-,"

"No, don't give it to him!" exclaimed Joshua as he reached and took the cross from Myron. His face instantly scrunched up in discomfort however, as slim threads of steam rose from his palm.

He winced and ground his teeth. "It's burning again!"

Walter snorted, his own hand starting to simmer. "Let it, let it go," he commanded, but Joshua did no such thing. "I _can't_! Ahh…! It's stuck… _to my hand_!"

Blood ran down the cross, dripping to the asphalt as the heat increased. Joshua grasped his wrist with his free hand, sweat running down from his brow. Walter clenched his fist painfully, steam rising from it.

The brunet teenager cried out in agony as the cross itself started to melt into a thick liquid. As it did this however, they all noticed there was something _not_ melting within his hand. The outer shell of the cross was melting to reveal a short, spear-like object. The burning stopped as the last of the blood and liquefied gold seeped through Joshua's hand. He was out of breath, and studying the intricate designs on the small spear.

"What…? What is this…?"

Then it happened. He could see images in his head, but they were distorted, blurred with film grains. He saw a young boy knocking on a door, yelling for his mother. He saw a bald man, sitting at a desk near a red typewriter, writing on his hands and mumbling incomprehensible things. And last, he saw his own father, sixteen years younger, about to step into the entrance of a poorly shaped tunnel going into the wall of a bathroom somewhere…

_The Ninth Spear…_

'What…?'

_Strike the Conjurer with the final Spear…_

'Con…jurer?'

_Strike the true body of the Conjurer..._

'I… think I understand…'

_The Ninth Spear..._

Joshua looked up, his eyes weary. He glanced at Myron and then to Walter.

"I know what I have to do now. I understand."

Walter stared at him, for the first time with fear in his eyes. "…No… You don't understand, Joshua…"

The teenager gulped and turned to Myron. "Could you make sure Christian turns out all right?"

The boy gave a slight nod as the brown- haired boy held out the spear. Grasping it with both hands, he thrust it into his abdomen. Myron gave a startled yelp and watched as Joshua's shirt became instantly stained with crimson. Blood flowed out, his eyes rolled back, and he struggled to stand, before stumbling back and falling.

Walter stared on in surprise as blood seeped from his mouth and a circle of red grew from beneath his shirt underneath his coat, soaking it. "So… this is how it truly ends…" he gasped while looking down to see a steady stream of silver flow from the bullet hole that Noah had given him. He had been careless, and he fell, snow clinging onto his coat.

"_Josh_!" came a scream from ahead, and Myron looked up to see a woman running towards them. He recognized her. It was Mrs. Townsend.

She collapsed on her knees before her son upon reaching him, tears stinging her eyes. "What, how…? J-_Josh_… No… _No_!" she screamed before embracing his limp body and cradling him, crying the entire time.

Myron was silent as Henry reached them, equally quiet. He glanced down at Walter's body and swallowed hard. His gaze landed on the spear now, and he looked away shamefully while Eileen could not stop sobbing.  
---

The fog had lifted by the time Zeik crawled out from under a loose part of the rubble. His left arm felt like it was broken, and some of his coat had been burned off. But he was incredibly lucky to have survived. He groaned.

"Damn, do I feel like crap!" he announced to the air, looking around. No one was around, at least not anymore, but he heard a set of footsteps approaching.

They belonged to a young man, most likely in his early twenties. His black hair was combed with care, and his black jacket had not a single speck of dust on it. His black jeans were somewhat faded, and his boots seemed to have had their share of wear and tear.

He cleared his throat, his cerulean eyes focused on Zeik. "Anthony Williams, I presume?"

Zeik snorted. "I don't go by that name anymore… and just who are you? We need to know each other's name if we want to have a tea party."

The young man grinned. "Oh yes, pardon me, my name is Lucas. Lucas Schreiber."

He then turned away and crouched on one knee before letting out a short whistle. A puppy, the one Zeik had seen previously, ran from out of nowhere and into Lucas's arms. "Good boy," he said while patting him on the head. "You've done well, being my eyes and ears to see how Townsend and Richards have been progressing in their respective roles."

"Hey, Lucas, seems Noah and Blackheart bit the dust while they were here," said another, female voice. Both of them turned to see a woman, around the same age as Lucas come jogging up. Her shoulder- length dirty blonde hair had several streaks of bright orange going through it. The wine- colored jacket she wore was a tad oversized, and her jeans were a dark, dark blue.

"Really?" Lucas seemed genuinely surprised, but his tone changed quickly. "Found anything else, Linda?"

"That guy, Walter Sullivan, just as we thought. He's dead, so…"

"…so there's a chance Townsend might be dead too."

"Yeah," she responded, stretching. "So what's the plan now?"

"That's simple. I want you to find Melissa and the others. We have some things we need to discuss with them now that both Blackheart and Langer are dead. I, for now, will go to Ashfield and see how our good friends Townsend and Richards have been doing."

With that, he knelt down and let the puppy go. "You, boy, are to stay in the shadows until further notice, alright?"

It gave a yelp as a reply and ran off. He smiled and stood straight. "Perfect."

Linda glanced at Zeik. "What about him? We're going to leave him?"

"No, take him as far as two miles from Ashfield. He can walk from there," answered Lucas before striding off.

Linda smiled and winked at Zeik. "Let's get going, then."


	32. Deal or No Deal?

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Thirty Two: Deal or no Deal?_

Joshua Townsend groaned, a dull throbbing present in his head. He awoke slowly, the sunlight streaming from the window a little too bright for him. Just how long had he been unconscious? The last thing he remembered was still very clear, and that was telling himself how _stupid_ he was for plunging that spear into himself. And for what? Was Walter Sullivan dead?

"Oh, who gives a shit?" mumbled Joshua to himself. He blinked and glanced around, inspecting his surroundings. He was lying in a hospital room, and the door was open a tiny bit. Someone had pulled the window shutters open all the way. "Didn't know I was a plant," said Joshua, noting that and the glass of water on the bed stand.

It was obvious he wasn't in critical condition, due to what the room was like. Or at least whoever tended to him did not think so. He looked down to see his lower stomach area bandaged quite thickly. He was also wearing a patient gown.

The door of his room then creaked open some more, and there was Christian, wearing the same type of gown in a wheelchair. It was an older wheelchair, though, not the type with that nifty analog stick.

"Hey," said Christian with a slight grin as he moved closer towards the bed. Joshua nodded.

"Shouldn't you be resting or something?" asked the brunet. "You didn't look so good back when I saw you in Silent Hill."

"Actually, the doctor said I was in pretty good condition. I mean, I remember that man, Jeremy, Jeremy Blackheart… He, um, shot me… in that subway car…"

"_Shot_ _you_? When-,"

"It's not really that important now," he replied with a reassuring smile. "I'm fine. I was surprised to hear that you were here too, though, Josh. Nicole told me that you were at Silent Hill as well."

The brunet shrugged. "Yeah, I was there, but it's a long story. _And_ I don't understand half of what happened, but… Chris, I, err, I'm sorry."

Christian cocked an eyebrow up. "Sorry? For what?"

Joshua sighed. "Well, you know, when you were talking about all that cult stuff in Silent Hill, and I just blew it off… but you were right in the end. It really did exist…"

"Yeah, I know. Last night, Ms. Mason told me what went on… To think it was all because of me…"

"You?"

"Yes-,"

"Josh!"

Nicole sprung out from nowhere and embraced him tightly. He patted her lightly on the back. "Uh, hey Nicole," he greeted before she moved away with a little blush on her cheeks. She giggled and scratched her head.

"Sorry, but I'm just so glad to see you! I was really worried, especially when your parents, along with Myron, rushed in here a little while after we had. I didn't know you'd been hurt, and-and I felt kind of responsible, you know..."

"Well, you were, sort of, but anyway, speaking of Myron, where is he?" he inquired. He hadn't thought of Myron until at that moment, and he recalled the many things the other teenager had been through during their time in Silent Hill. He figured Myron had come with his parents... His parents! Before he blacked out he remembered seeing his mother... Didn't they know about Walter Sullivan, though? He definitely needed an explanation whenever he got home...

"Oh, Myron left when his grandpa came to pick him up last night. I remember that Miss Mason had spoken to him, his grandfather, for a few minutes before he left. Didn't get to hear what they were talking about..." she said, sounding a little disappointed.

"Is Miss Mason still here?" Joshua questioned. "And my parents? Wasn't your uncle-"

"Yeah, they're all still here," Christian answered, glancing off to the side. "But... I think we deserve an explanation for what happened there, in... Silent Hill, you know?"

Nicole was about to say something, but she quickly stopped. Joshua noticed she shuddered slightly at the mention of the town. She forced a smile and looked up. "Um, I'll be back later guys. I have to go talk to my uncle. See you." And with that, she bounded off, leaving thw two boys alone. Christian sighed.

"What... What, uh, happened there?"

Joshua shrugged. "Like hell I should know," he answered while leaning back. He had to move slowly; any quick jerks would trigger an ache near his stomach. Yes, he was going to have to see his psychiatrist again.

A knock on the door. His head shot up and Christian turned to see a man, somewhere in his late twenties, standing in the doorway. There was a quirky grin on his face, but his eyes were like stone. He glanced at each of the teenagers, clearing his voice. "Excuse me," he said," is this Joshua Townsend's room?"

The brown-haired boy shrugged. "And why should we answer you?"

The man's grin grew. "You have no reason to. I was merely checking. But I'm assuming you are Joshua, correct?"

"Maybe."

"Ah, good. I was worried I would find myself in the wrong room. Pardon me if I'm intruding," he looked to Christian, "but I came to give you something. It's rather important." He went forward, extending out his hand to Joshua. Within his grasp was a folded-up slip of paper. The teen reluctantly took it. "Please read over that. Oh, and my name is Lucas, Lucas Schreiber."

"Schreiber?" Joshua perked up with interest. Lucas nodded before turning and heading for the door. As he reached the exit, he looked at Christian very quickly before leaving the room.

'Schreiber, huh?' thought Joshua. 'I wonder...'

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The air chilled Lucas's face as he stepped out of St. Jerome's Hospital. "Winter..." he muttered, adjusting his jacket. That's when he felt something ruble in his jacket pocket. His cellular phone. He took it out, lifting up the small cover. It was a text message.

**Come to the park. We need to talk. Soon, Luke.**

"Luke?" he said to himself, chuckling. "Speak of the devil... So, Abraham, after all these years..." He shook his head. A puppy ran up to him. It looked up at him curiously. He knelt down and patted its head. "You felt it, didn't you, boy? Your other half, yes, he's in that hospital room, but not yet. You will become whole soon, and I apologize for prolonging it for so long, but, for now, we must go see an old friend."

He stood and started towards the park, people staring at him as if he was crazy.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sky was a bright orange, and the small diner was almost empty. Yet there they sat, the three of them. Alexis stared at his tea, several torn packets of sugar cast off to the side. Melissa took a sip of her coffee. It was silent... aside from Catherine as she scarfed down her pancakes. She stopped for a moment to swallow. "So, um, what are we gonna do now?"

Melissa barely lifted up her eyes and sighed. "I don't know... What _can_ we do? We only have so much money, and I don't know..."

Alexis groaned, taking a spoon and stirring his tea. "...I still can't understand what Noah was thinking..." he said, but Catherine laid down her fork.

"Oh, forget about Noah already! He threatened us, shoved a gun in our faces, and most importantly, called me _stupid_!" she exclaimed with anger. Alexis took hold of his tea and took a swig from it.

"...You're not... fooling anyone, Catherine..." he replied while setting the glass down.

"Yes," Melissa said. "He was our friend, despite his actions, just like Grandfather was like a parent to us. They were with us for as long as I remember, so we can't just forget about them and act as if they never existed..."

"Okay, okay, lighten up," responded Catherine with slight agitation. "Wasn't even really serious about it. Jeez." The door to the diner opened then, the little bell chiming. The young woman who walked in took no time in approaching them. She brushed aside a few strands of blonde hair.

"You're Melissa Blackheart, right?" she asked, pointing at Melissa. The raven- haired woman nodded, looking at the other person curiously.

"And who are you?"

"Oh, I'm pretty sure we've met before... but I dunno. _Anyway_, can I have a seat?" Before Melissa or Alexis could answer, Catherine was bouncing up and down, pointing at Zeik, who had come in after Linda.

"Look, look, _look_, it's _Zeeky_!" Zeik only stared at her for a moment, as did everyone else, before screaming in terror and running out. Linda cleared her throat. "Well, I think I should get this over with quickly. My name's Linda, and I've come to discuss with you the matter that took place in Silent Hill just around a day ago."

"How do you know about that?" Melissa suddenly demanded. The whole ordeal enraged her. That town, she thought it impossible to even care less about the place. She had lost both her grandfather and Noah to it...

"Ah, well you see, my colleague and I were affiliated with the man that you got that cross from. You should remember. It must've been about a couple of weeks ago," stated Linda plainly.

"...I recall our meeting with him," came Alexis, staring at her coldly. "...But I doubt we would be interested in whatever you have to say... We just... lost-,"

"...two people you cared about. Yes, I can relate. Robert Langer died in that fire that night, and he was the closest thing to a father I'd ever had. To allow his death to be in vain is something I can't fathom."

Melissa leaned back in her seat, cocking an eyebrow up. "What do you mean?"

Linda smiled. "Well, Langer was meant to give you a second object that night, aside from the cross..." she informed them while she removed a small, glass vial from her jacket's breast pocket. Within the vial was a deep, red liquid.

"Aphaoglotis. The one, crucial variable that existed in the ritual of the Crimson Paragraph. Without it, the ritual would be doomed to fail, but, luckily, Jeremy Blackheart was unsuccessful in beginning the transferring of God's soul."

Alexis snorted. "...The Crimson Paragraph... did not include any mentioning of the... Aphaoglotis," he stated, continuing to stare at her suspiciously. Linda nodded quickly.

"I am aware of that. What you do not know, however, is that there is a _second_ part to the Crimson Paragraph. A part only a member of the Valtiel sect. would know about."

Melissa seemed genuinely surprised by this, but Alexis showed no emotion. "...The... Aphaoglotis is a substance... related only to the rituals... found inside the Holy Mother sect... Why would its significance... in a ritual... be only known to _Valtiel_ sect.?"

"Because this ritual was not confined to just one branch of teaching in The Order! This ritual was something much more grandiose than something like the '21 Sacraments'. The Crimson Paragraph is a prophecy, foretold by the earliest members of The Order. Its importance was extremely great, and so it was split into two halves for added security. Robert Langer had intended for our two groups to combine and work together to fulfill the prophecy, bu his untimely demise led you all down a road of destruction. I should apologize for the inconvenience."

'_Inconvenience_?' Melissa thought with fury. "So, then, Noah and Grandfather... they died for nothing! That whole thing would have just fallen apart at the very _last minute_?"

Linda glanced around. Most people had left, and Catherine was still in the restroom. 'Dumb blonde...' she thought, but then she heard Melissa. "Oh, well, yes, pretty much. The Carrier, the one who-,"

"...We know what role... the Carrier has," cut in Alexis. Linda nodded.

"Yes, well, he would have to drink the Aphaoglotis in order for the transfer to function properly, however... it is still not too late. The Carrier can still drink it, and the ritual can end."

Alexis took a long drink from his tea. "...And you want us... to do this task?" he inquired.

"Not without our help, of course. Your resources are very limited..." she said while glancing at Melissa. "Listen, you have some time to think it over. There's no need to rush yourselves, really, but take too long and the whole thing could blow up in your faces. Besides, wouldn't you want to finish what Jeremy started? Wouldn't you, when it was something he devoted the last years of his life to?"

There was silence. Melissa fidgeted. "...We'll think about it, but we need a way to contact you."

"Oh yes," Linda chirped, handing her a small slip of paper. "On that paper are a list of numbers you can call to find me or my friend, Lucas Schreiber. Take care." She stood up from her chair and strolled over to the door, but stopped. "There's something else, as well..." she said gravely. "Although God did not awaken within the Carrier, something else did, so keep that in mind."

Linda then left from the diner. Alexis sighed and placed a hand on her left forearm. "Please... do not think you owe this to Jeremy or Noah... you do not have to go through with this. There has... been enough bloodshed."

She gave him a thankful expression, but shook her head. "No, I do owe it to them. I think-,"

At that moment Catherine burst out from the restroom, grinning stupidly. "So, guys, what did I miss?"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Imbecillic bobbleheads," Zeik muttered, directing it as an insult toward The Order members. Especially Catherine. He sighed and looked ahead. He had no idea how many miles were left before he got to Ashfield, but a little walk never did anyone harm. Still, a ride would be nice. He was stuck on the side of the road now, just walking. At least until he saw the green, little, beat-up car a few meters away. He noticed someone was kneeling down beside it, probably repairing a flat tire of something similar. He also noticed it was a woman.

Being the gentleman that he was, and in desperate need of a ride, Zeik bounced toward her and her vehicle, stopping just about a foot away.

"Need any help?" he asked. The woman didn't even glance at him, instead pushing some of her light, blonde hair out of her face and continuing to work on the tire. "Okay... Well I'm going to just sit here until you do..." He hopped onto the hood of the car, and waited, humming a peaceful tune.


	33. The Awakened

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Thirty Three: The Awakened_

Ashfield Public Park was nearly vacant this day, the cold temperatures enough for most to stay inside. There was a terrific fountain in the center, with nice stone pathways and benches scattered around. There was talk in the local government about constructing a public pool nearby as well, which would serve the citizens well during the summer. But Abraham Jackson was unaware of this as he stood near the fountain, blowing out smoke as he let the cigarette fall from his lips.

He was twenty-eight, but he was wise beyond his years, and highly intelligent. He sported very dark, somewhat messy brown hair, with a slight goatee. His scarf flew around in the breeze, and his jeans were extremely dark. A small scar was apparent on his face, directly underneath his right eye. The sun was hidden behind gray clouds, so his sunglasses were unnecessary.

Lucas Schreiber made his way silently into the park, hardly tired after the half hour walk from the hospital. He felt he needed the walk, despite having a car of his own. He spotted Abraham, but stopped. The other man spoke without looking at him.

"How have you been, Luke?"

"Fine."

"And Linda?"

"Same as always."

Abraham nodded, bringing the cigarette up for one last drag. Lucas followed it with his eyes. "I didn't think you'd turn out a smoker."

"Neither did I," he responded, dropping it and crushing it with the heel of his boot. He turned to Lucas. "I wasn't sure if you'd come. After six years you tend to forget."

"Forget you?" Lucas chuckled. "I doubt I'd ever forget you. Not with Linda talking about you half of the time. And who else calls me 'Luke'?"

"Just me. You were never the social type, anyway," said Abraham. "Now, I bet you're a bit anxious to know why I asked you here, right?"

"A little," answered Lucas while he slipped his hands into his jacket pockets. "It's been six years, Abraham. You don't contact someone just for small talk, at least I think."

Abraham sighed. "It's definitely not small talk, that's for sure. Things have been going on recently, Luke, heavy things. Don't tell me you haven't noticed. That would be a lie."

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "What's your point?"

"You know what I'm referring to, Luke, that town, Silent Hill. Something happened there yesterday, undoubtedly. No one knows about it though, but soon word will spread. Word of The Order was starting to circulate as well."

"How do you know that?" asked Lucas, a little surprised. Abraham shrugged.

"I've been keeping tabs on Langer's actions. You tend to bump into certain things when you go down a path like that." He looked away for a minute, sighing. "And don't think you completely got away with it."

"Hmm?"

"When Langer took that kid, remember? We only had him for a day or two, and yet you managed to sneak that little thing in, whatever it was."

Lucas only sniggered. "_What_? You know Langer never let us near the kid, Abraham. He was crazy about it."

"But you were the oldest, the one he trusted the most. He didn't expect anything from you, and you were barely a teenager."

"Just cut to the damn chase; what are you trying to accuse me of?"

"Black magic," responded Abraham with coolness. This sparked a short laugh from Lucas. He ran a hand through his hair, giggling with humor.

"_What type of accusation is that_? I've never done anything even remotely like that!"

The other man reached into his jacket and brought out a book, small and compact. It was black, with only the symbol known as the 'Halo of the Sun' on its front in crimson. He opened it up to the first page, yellow and aged, and began to read, his voice crisp and clear.

"'Its is our responsibilty, as the forefathers of our brotherhood, to record our witnessing of the end. We realize that we were never meant to see these events, but if it was God's will, then we can only serve her as we would serve a superior. For you see, those who succeed us would be at a great loss if we did not do this. They would be like stray sheep, without a sheperd, without guidance...'"

Abraham closed the book then, and held it out. Lucas was still, but began to hesitantly reach out for it. "Take it, Luke. Finish it, as no one else has." With the book then out of his hands, Abraham turned and started off. Lucas stared at him as he went, glancing down at the book.

"So that's it, then? That's all this little meeting was for? To give me a book?"

He got no response.

---

"Henry...? Henry, please, come on, this wasn't your fault..."

Eileen Townsend had never really forgot about what had happened at South Ashfield Heights all those years ago. She couldn't be expected to, really. There are things you just can't push out of your mind, things that stretch back to when you were a child, when you were young and careless. But is it the things that happen when you are a child, are they the things that truly frighten you? Or, is it the things that happen when you're an adult, the things that make you realize they weren't just stories?

It wasn't a story, however. She had seen him in that subway station, oh so long ago. At the time, that doll had been her favorite, but when she gave it to him there was no regret. It was a surprise, though, when she saw it within that chest of Henry's, the one he locked up. He had gotten rid of the key, and she had been curious as to what else had been in there... aside from that peculiar smell.

Henry looked to his wife as she tried to comfort him, but he shook his head. "...I had talked to him, Eileen... back at the apartments... He said that it was all because of me that he had come back. I... I know I should've told you, but..."

She squeezed his hand. "It's alright, I'm not upset with you for that. I probably wouldn't have told you either... Look, we had no idea..."

"But he went after Joshua, Eileen. He tried to kill our son... and look what almost happened. I'm not even sure what happened..." he said, bringing a hand up to his forehead. The door to the waiting room opened, and in came James Sunderland, his cell phone.

"Yes, I know... No, she's not hurt," he said into the receiver. He locked eyes with Henry for a moment, sighed, and quickly added, "We'll talk later, I have to go." He tucked the phone away into his pocket and approached the married couple. "I don't think we've properly introduced ourselves. I'm James Sunderland."

Mrs. Townsend smiled and shook his hand. "Eileen Townsend. And this is my husband, Henry."

The other man nodded. "Nice to meet you," he stated while shaking his hand as well. "You, um, you wouldn't happen to be related to Frank Sunderland, would you?"

James nodded. "Yes, he was my father. Unfortunately, he... passed away, about four months ago."

"...Yeah, I'd heard..."

"Did you know him?"

"Yes, in fact, I was a tenant at South Ashfield Heights. So was Eileen, actually. I really am sorry to hear about it."

"Oh, it's alright," responded James as he took a seat opposite them at the table. He sighed again. "Some pretty weird stuff going on recently, don't you think? That snow, and now this..."

Henry nodded. "All of it _is_ rather odd..." Eileen remained silent, eyeing them both. "...isn't your neice a friend of our son?"

"Yes, I even met him the day before yesterday. I could see that he's a good kid."

"Thank you," replied Eileen as Cheryl Mason entered, carrying a cup of coffee. She glanced at them and sat down, placing her hands together. "I'm sure you're all a bit confused, about what's been going on. So am I actually, but I think we can work out the bugs later." She turned to James. "Mr. Sunderland-,"

"James."

"_James_," she started again, with the smallest hint of a smile, "you've spoken to Nicole's parents about this, correct?"

"Yes I have, but they're out of town at the moment. Nicole's been with her brother, Michael."

"Well at least they know." She turned her attention to the Townsends. "Mr. and Mrs. Townsend, I should apologize for all of this. I had virtually no idea Joshua was even in Silent Hill."

"There's no reason to apologize," said Henry. "I know you had nothing to do with Joshua going there. It wasn't your fault."

"Even still... Well, I think I should get this over with. We all have our own lives to deal with. Now, am I right to assume all of you have been to Silent Hill?"

The three nodded. Cheryl sipped her coffee. "Okay, well, as it turns out, the town was the home base of an underground religious organization. Cultists, Satanists, call them what you will. Most of the town was a part of the group, but you need to understand that this group had originated hundreds of years ago. Anyway, they refer to themselves as-,"

"The Order," Henry finished. She looked to him for a second. "...Correct. The Order believed in a god, but they started to try and bring this god to the world in some tangible state, so that this god could bring about 'Paradise'. They... They did horrible things, grisly things... I don't really know the details, but... they executed rituals, many of them, to try and summon this god. They even sacrificed themselves for this...

"My father, Harry Mason, he had been involved with them about thirty years ago or so. Basically, he nearly destroyed them."

"Harry Mason?" James asked. "The author?"

"Yeah. I'm sure you know that he died. Well, you see, that was them too. One of them got him... and I cooperated with a detective and brought them down."

"Not all of them," said Henry. "Right?"

"Yes," she answered. "There were others who were a part of the group. They're spread out, and they're continuing to spread. Nonetheless, their core had been destroyed. They lost their leaders. The Order couldn't survive like that, so a man, Jeremy Blackheart, took matters into his own hands, and attempted a ritual. He was going to use the kids for it."

They were all quiet, allowing the information to sink in. Eileen then raised a question. "...How do you know they're all really gone?"

Cheryl shrugged. "I guess that's the problem."

---

Christian felt he was fine on his feet as he staggered into the restroom. He was still weak, sure; he'd been shot. Of course, it was difficult to remember anything. Jeremy Blackheart... he had said he was the one, that Christian was the one carrying the god's soul. A god? Was it real? Was everything he researched... Was it all real?

'It has to be...' he thought while staring at his reflection in the mirror. He placed his palm on the glass, staring into his own pupils. Who _was_ he? He was adopted. Of that he knew. But where had he been adopted? Where had he been born? And that feeling he acquired, whenever he heard of Silent Hill... Was it calling him? Was that it? Was that why he had such a deep interest in it?

He reached for the faucet handles when it hit him. It stung the back of his head and sent shivers down his spine. It caught his mind and racked it. He caught the counter edge for support as he fell. His legs went out, and he struggled to get onto his knees before his arms went as well. He fell to the floor, none of his limbs responding to the signals he was ordering from his brain. Something had cut them off.

_...shh. Be still._

"...What?"

_Are you awake yet?_

"Awake? What... Who... Who is speaking to me...?"

_Shh. Not speaking. Be silent. Be still. Are you awake?_

"How do you want me to answer... if I can't talk?"

_Talking is a meaningless ability. If are awake, you would have no need to speak. However, you seem to have not forsaken this ability. Thus, you are not awake... yet._

"What do you mean?" he asked, looking up at the ceiling. "Who are you?"

_Who I am is of no importance, what is crucial is my responsibility. You are my responsibility. I must make it possible for you to awaken, to become what you were meant to be. Circumstances are different than what they were supposed to be, but is not much of a hindrance. I prefer them as they turned out to be._

"Your responsibility? Wait... Are you... _inside_ of me?"

_You could see it as such. I awakened instead of you, so I must now complete the Awakening. I must now... complete the prophecy. For now, however, I shall let you be._

The cold grip that was restraining Christian disappeared, and he got up, looking back at his reflection. "What was _that_?" He ran the cold water and splashed some of it onto his face, noticing something on his arm. He looked down to his left forearm to see a symbol, etched in his own blood. His eyes widened in shock. "How...? _Just what is this_?" he nearly screamed, splashing water onto his arm only to find the symbol was still there, cut into his skin.

"It is... the 'Halo.. of the Sun'..."

---

Zeik yawned loudly, flipping through his notepad with his good arm. He was very bored. Sure, he could've kept walking hours ago, but he saw no cars passing by, so he would've lost a ride.

"_Finally_! Done!" The woman rose to her feet and dusted herself off. Her black pants had gotten a bit dirty, but that's the price you pay for taking your father's old vehicle. She tapped Zeik on the shoulder. "What are you doing sitting on my car?"

"I was waiting for you to get done," he replied while hopping down and putting his notepad away. "So... are we all set?"

"'We'?"

"Yeah. I'm getting a ride. So come on."

She shrugged and pushed a few strands of blonde hair out of her face. "Fine, get in. Where are you headed?"

"Ashyfielddy," he said while getting into the passenger seat and strapping himself in.

"Hmm... you know you look like shit, right?" she questioned.

"Yep, and you do too."

She sighed with annoyance and switched the car on. It gave a grunt, but fell silent. Cursing under her breath, she tried again, with pretty much the same result. Another try, and another. Finally, the car spurred into action, despite some reluctance. Zeik looked to the back seat, seeing tons of junk.

"What's with the all the crap?"

"Just stuff."

"Yeah, _stuff_... So what do they call you, miss?"

"Laura, and you?"

"Zeik."

"Zeik? You mean the one they keep talking about on the news?"

"Maybe."

"Whatever..." Laura reached out onto the dashboard and grasped her cell phone, dialing several digits. "Hold up, I need to check some things with my dad..."

"Uh huh."

(Worry not, Joshua will be back in action next chapter.)


	34. Robin

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Thirty Four: Robin_

Joshua Townsend was not especially happy this morning. It was several days after his ordeals in Silent Hill, and here he was, perfectly fine. Almost. His left palm was bandaged up, still in the process of healing, and so was his lower torso. The only relatively good thing that came out of this was his exclusion from the activites in his gym class, which was fine by him. Still though, he was curious. His parents had remained silent about what they knew concerning Walter Sullivan, but he wasn't as interested in that as he was in what that cult had been attempting.

He adjusted his backpack strap and waited for the traffic light to allow him to keep on walking. He had woken up an hour and a half earlier than usual today, but what was really strange was the urge to get to school. He paid it no heed, though; it was a trivial matter of no great significance. Besides, he felt it his responsibilty to make sure Myron was all right. He had dragged him into that mess, so he felt kind of guilty over the matter.

And then there was Zeik. That lunatic had almost killed them both, but he _did_ sacrifice himself to ensure their survival-even though it was hardly necessary. He could've gone with them instead of staying with that thing and getting _blown up_. But, he probably had his reasons for it.

It was then that someone jogged up beside him, slightly out of breath. He didn't even bother to glance at the girl, whose long, crimson hair nearly matched the light. Had he looked at her he would've been partially surprised at her attire. It was a female, private-school uniform. However, her backpack would have attracted view first, being a bright, hot pink. He finally turned when she tapped him on the shoulder.

"Excuse me, but you wouldn't be heading to South Ashfield High... would you?"

"What?" he replied while turning his head.

She stared at him weirdly. "I said-,"

"I know what you said; I was just checking if it was my imagination... and, yeah, I am going there."

"Oh goody!" she exclaimed while beaming. "I wasn't sure if I was going the right way." Joshua eyed her from top to bottom, scratching his chin.

"Yeah... Why are you wearing that uniform?"

"Oh, it was the only thing I had this morning. Plus, I think it's comfortable."

"...Uh huh..." he said as the light turned green and he began walking across the street. She followed him.

"I was thinking, you know, that I could walk with you to the school. Is that okay?" she said very innocently.

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Err... sure..." he answered, looking back to the front. Suddenly, however, she stopped at the sound of a mew. He looked back at her as she spun around to stare at a nearby tree. "What are you looking at?" he asked as another mew sounded. She pointed at one of the highest branches, where a bright orange, furry little kitten was clutching the bark fearfully.

"The kitten! We have to save it!" she said frantically. Joshua just snorted. "That tiny furball? Just let it jump down and get some experience." He was about to leave, but she latched onto his arm, squealing.

"No, no, no, please, you have to climb up and get him down! He's completely helpless!"

"_Me_? Chick, can't you see I'm in the process of recovering! I can't just... climb up a tree and risk injury!" he responded while he tore away from her. As he spoke, her eyes grew large and teary, like puppy-dog eyes.

"_Please_? You won't get hurt, really! Just look at him, he's perfectly helpless!"

Joshua sighed and looked up, locking his gaze with that of the kitten. It was in that one second he saw the cat the way she saw it. He saw its helplessness.

"Oh, _fine_..." he said while giving in and studying the tree for a moment before starting to climb.

"Be careful!" advised the girl as he slowly made his way to the branch. After about a minute, Joshua stopped and, resting most of his weight on the nearest branch, reached out for the kitten.

"Come here, little kitty... Come on..." The cat gradually moved and positioned itself to face him. The brunet grasped it gently, but at that instant, the kitten hissed, frightening Joshua as it pounced on him and scratched at his face, three, bloody lines grazed onto his right cheek. He and the kitten fell, but the girl caught it while Joshua hit the ground hard, aching in pain as he struggled to get up.

"That damn thing!" he fumed, glaring at it. But the animal was purring happily as the girl scratched behind its ears.

"I think I'll take him to school... don't you think?" she said before putting her backpack down and placing the small kitten into it, zippering it up enough to leave a small hole for air.

She put it back on and smiled at him. "...I don't think I caught your name..."

He sighed. "It's Joshua," he said while feeling at the small cuts. "You're not serious about that, though, are you?"

"Of course I am, and my name's Faith... That's it!" She looked down at her backpack. "That's what I'll call him! Little Josh!"

---

Christian Richards flipped through the book he'd brought to school that day. It was a short one, in his opinion, ranging up to about only two- hundred pages. As he did this, Cheryl Mason walked into the classroom, holding the chocolate bar she'd bought from the vending machine in the teachers' lounge. She glanced at him quickly as she sat down at her desk.

"Hello, Christian, I hope you've been doing well. I know the past few days have been hard... Actually, I'm surprised you even came to school today."

He shook his head. "No... I'm fine," he replied, glancing down at his long- sleeved shirt. "Well... I _do_ have something I'd liked to ask you."

"Yes?"

"...I know you know about The Order, Miss Mason. I... I want to know about them, and what they did," he said rather hesitantly.

She opened her mouth to respond when Joshua walked in, glancing at the only other two occupants in the room. He waved at Cheryl before plopping down into his seat next to Christian. A few seconds later, Faith Nielsen entered the classroom, immediately zooming over to Cheryl's desk and handing over her schedule.

Christian looked to her and then to Joshua, who had his head on his desk. "What's going on, Christian? Any freaky cultish things happening?"

"...None from what I know of," he lied as Cheryl directed Faith to the desk to Joshua's right, one of the only empty seats. She deposited herself there, waving at Christian.

"Hi, I'm Faith!"

"Christian Richards," he responded with a smile as she leaned back.

"Where's everyone else, Miss Mason?" Faith asked curiously.

"It's too early," Joshua answered for the teacher. "Nobody comes into class, like, thirty minutes before school starts..." Faith looked at him with a grin, before smacking her head.

"Ooh, I'm almost forgot to show you all little Joshy!"

"Little Joshy?" inquired Christian as the redhead opened up her backpack and brought out a small, orange kitten. Christian scratched his head as he whispered to Joshua, "...Where'd she come from, anyway? A little weird..."

The other male shrugged and kept his head down. Cheryl cocked an eyebrow up. "I have to admit... this is the first time I've ever had a new student bring a cat to school."

"Well, Josh here saved him, 'cause he was stuck in this tree, and I just couldn't bear to let him wander off and endanger himself anymore, so I decided to keep him, at least for now. It's... okay, right?"

Cheryl nodded. "Just as long as you keep him in your backpack and not let him get around; I don't want to be responsible."

"Sure!" chirped Faith as she cuddled the kitten, who purred more than ever. "So..." she started, putting the cat on Joshua's head, "what do we do now?"

"Just wait," replied the teacher. "Not much else we can do this early." She looked at Christian, who was softly petting the kitten. But after that there was silence. Joshua was staring at the clock, the new student was humming, and the blond boy kept on petting the little Joshy.

A few more seconds...

"You seem like the type of woman who'd have a husband, Miss Mason," remarked Faith. The short- haired woman looked up, but kept her head relatively low.

"...You really can't rely on a husband, um...?"

"Faith."

"_Faith_. And besides, I haven't met anyone that really..."

"...tickles your fancy?" said Joshua out of nowhere with a chuckle.

"...Yes, Joshua, no one that _tickles my fancy_."

---

Linda stepped through the doorway, shutting the apartment door behind her. Lucas didn't attempt to look up at her from his position at a desk nearby. He was staring intently at the book lying before him. "I didn't get any luck with them, but I told them we'd give 'em some time to think it over. But, based on first impressions, they're all weak; won't be a bit of help," she stated while plopping down on a sofa. "Good thing we managed to rent this place, eh, Lucas?" He gave no answer.

She furrowed her brow. "Lucas, I'm talking to you here!" She stood up and walked over to him, peering over his shoulder at the book.

"...Where'd you get the book? And... why are you just staring at it like that?"

"I'm thinking," he replied, closing his eyes. "...Abraham gave me the book, by the way." Linda just stared at him for a few seconds, but the burst out giggling.

"Abraham? You're kidding, right?"

"...No. I met him after I went to see Townsend and Richards. Look's like shit, in my opinion."

Linda moved away, looking to the side. "...You're serious, then? You met with him, after all these years, and just let him run off again?"

"He's the one who walked out on us, remember?" he said, keeping his eyes on the book's cover. "He's none of our concern." She cast him a dirt look and walked towards the hallway.

"I'm taking a shower."

Lucas waited until she was gone before he flipped the book open. "If this is what I believe it, Abraham, then you've played into my hands without even knowing it, but I will admit, decoding this will be more difficult than I expected..." he said silently to himself. A sick smirk appeared on his face. "However, a little _cheating_ shouldn't hurt _that much_..."

---

Melissa sighed and eyed the revolver with some type of distate as she loaded it with exactly five bullets. She did this slowly and steadily, with each bullet, she knew, a part of her was dying. If she loaded all five, she knew she would die. So she left it at three, but as she was about to insert the third one into the weapon, the door opened, and in walked Catherine.

Melissa quickly stowed the gun away into the drawer and turned, brushing away several strands of hair from her eyes. "Oh, Catherine! Is... there something wrong?"

"Nope," responded the blonde as she looked around the small room. "I was just thinking. Alexis's been acting weird recently, right?"

"If you mean 'different', yeah, I suppose so... I just don't know about this. Part of me wants to help them, but... it's not worth it... is it?"

"Well, it depends. Me and Lexy will be supporting you in whatever you decide, and... um, that's all I really wanted to tell you."

The raven-haired woman nodded in response. "...Thank you, but I'm still deciding."

"That's fine, but what're are we gonna eat?"

"...W-What?"

(Bit of a filler chapter, but the juicier stuff will be coming soon.)

"


	35. On the Other Side Part ONE

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Thirty Five: On the Other Side; Part ONE_

He, like Linda, had been born into The Order, even though it was around this time that the cult had suffered several losses, including those of Dahlia Gillespie and James "Jimmy" Stone. Despite being on shaky grounds, The Order sustained itself for nearly two more decades before falling into ruin. Of course, it was not truly dead, but having lost almost all organization, its followers spread apart... Robert Langer was one such follower.

Langer led a double-life, being a faithful follower of the Valtiel sect. of The Order, but also being a proficeint business man in the public. He co-founded the Langer Corporation with the late Grant Williams, and managed to keep it up for another few years before its eminent fall. After that he crept away into the shadows, having been severely burned in a fire that occured at his home in the small town of Brahms. It was during the following years that he put his three apprentices through an intense educational system, where they learned of The Order and its ways. Because of this advanced method, they learned things at a much faster pace than regular children who would be sent to the Wish House, and therefore became well seeped into their religion at a young age. They matured over time, developing different views on different things. One such follower formed doubt deep within him.

Abraham Jackson had never been talkative, much more content with remaining in the backdrop of things. His persona attracted Linda, a fellow apprentice, as they grew older, and they were around the same age, so it was only natural. Their relationship never fully became reality, however, due to several things. nd then, of course, was Lucas Schreiber. How Lucas ended up in the hands of Robert Langer is a mystery, despite the fact that he had living relatives at the time of birth that could have taken him in. But he was nothing more than a helpless orphan, a perfect canidate for being part of The Order...

Abraham had never held much of a liking for Lucas, but he never showed it. He respected him, even became a friend, of course, he hardly had a choice. You didn't have many friends when you lived such a sheltered live such as he did. Yet one day, in particular, caused Abraham to see that there was something wrong with Lucas. Something that hadn't existed when he was born, but had somehow been brought upon either willingly or by force.

The day had been a still one, with the weather fair and the sky packed to the rim with gray clouds. He was fourteen at the time; Lucas had been fifteen...

Their residence was on the outskirts of Brahms, a small wooden house that was barely fit to contain four people. Lucas and Linda were walking around the field a ways behind the house, heading towards a large, dead tree.

"Say, Lucas, do you ever... oh, I don't know, think about Heaven?" The boy looked up, shaken out of his thoughts. He eyed Linda strangely, furrowing his brow. "Heaven? What about Paradise?"

"Aren't they the same thing? I mean, that's what Robert always said."

"Don't listen to him," said Lucas suddenly, popping his hand into his jean pocket. "He's just an eccentric old man who likes to hear his own voice. It's not like anything he ever says will help us in the real world."

Linda leaned against the tree upon reaching it, her blonde curls swying in the breeze. Her eyes widened at him. "Why do you say that? Once the Crimson Paragraph is-,"

"Screw the Crimson Paragraph," shot Lucas as he clenched his right hand tightly. "That's all he ever talks about, and I'm getting sick of hearing about it all the time."

"...I guess..." Linda remarked softly, and closed her eyes. Lucas squeezed the bridge of his nose. "I'm... I'm sorry. Forget what I said."

He turned to see Abraham coming towards them from the house. His expression, like always, was rather solemn. Lucas's face twisted into crooked grin. "Hey, Abe, just get back?" he asked with something of a snide.

"...Yeah," replied the younger boy as he looked up at them. Linda smiled at him when his gaze landed on her, but Lucas took a deep breath.

"So, what went on at the doctor's? What's the deal?"

"Nothing. Just a check-up."

"_Sure_. Really, are you okay, what-,"

"I'm fine, Luke, it's nothing you should worry about," replied Abraham somewhat forcefully. Lucas frowned. Linda was quiet, watching them intently.

"I'm just trying to look out for you, man," said Lucas. "There's something wrong, isn't there? You can tell me, you can tell Linda. Come on, we're your friends."

Abraham just stared at him, grimacing. "...All I wanted to do was let you guys know I was back, that's it." He turned to walk away, but Lucas grasped his arm roughly. Linda slowly moved away from the tree, noticing that there was a flicker in Lucas's eyes. He smirked, the slightest hint of red in his irises.

"_Abraham_... What about Linda? Will you tell her? _Will you_?" he snarled while pulling the other boy, but he shook him off.

"It's not your problem, and Linda isn't the one on my case, is she?"

"So now I'm on your case, am I?" asked Lucas with a laugh. "I told you-,"

"Just lay off," said Abraham as he tried to walk away once more, but again the older boy grabbed at him.

"_Abraham_-,"

"I said, _lay off_!" exclaimed Abraham as he suddenly slammed his fist into Lucas's stomach, knocking the wind out of him and sending him back. Linda gasped, startled, covering her mouth in shock. Lucas backed up against the tree, a sadistic grin forming on his face. He reached for a rather large stone nearby and snatched it up, approaching Abraham from behind as the other boy walked off.

"Lucas, _no_!" screamed Linda, causing Abraham to spin around. And, in a flash, Lucas swung the stone at him and clubbed him in the face, a jagged edge of the rock catching him right below the eye. He went down in a flash, hitting the grass. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and Linda rushed over to him, glaring at the attacker. "_What's wrong with you, Lucas_? Why did you do that?" she shouted at him while trying to assist Abraham, but the boy motioned with his arm to stay away.

"I... I don't know..." stammered Lucas, the stone falling from his hand. "Oh my God... Abe, I'm sorry, I didn't mean... I just... I don't..."

"Just _be quiet_, Lucas," yelled Linda while the younger boy got to his feet. Linda approached him, but he shooed her away. "Abraham, I'm trying to help you, why-,"

"..._I don't need your help_," he said, gingerly touching the bloody cut under his right eye. They stood there in silence, Lucas glancing at both of them.

"Abraham, I-,"

"They found something wrong with me, Luke," he stated slowly, looking upwards. "Not sure what it is yet, so I'll have to go back later... They said they think it's my heart, though... Are you happy?" he demanded, glancing at him sideways before going on his way like had been doing.

---

Abraham Jackson awoke with a start, the memory subsiding. He calmed down, remembering that he was at a bus stop. His hand rose unknowingly to touch the scar, and he sighed. 'Dammit, Luke... it has to have gotten worse... it's been nearly fourteen years...'.

A city bus pulled up, and Abraham went over to board it.

---

Joshua was in something of a haze as he practically fell to the lunch table. Christian took a seat opposite to him, and Faith sat beside him. "Hey, don't you think it's kind of a cowinkydinky that I have, like every class with you, Josh?" she questioned excitedly.

"Yeah, real big _cowinkydinky_..." he responded, glaring at her as Nicole approached.

"Erm, hey guys," she greeted nervously while sitting down. Joshua nodded hi, and Faith beamed.

"Hello!" she said loudly. "I'm Faith! You?"

"Nicole Sunderland," replied the blonde meekly. "Are you new?"

"Yeah, but Joshua here's been giving me a good tour of the school. Turns out we have, like, every class together!"

"...She kids you not," commented Joshua, who rested his head on his better hand. Nicole giggled a bit, but glanced at the small scar on his cheek.

"How'd that happen, Josh?"

"...What? Oh, little kitty from Hell got me."

"Kitten?"

"Yeah," said Faith as she brought out the cat and set it on the lunch table. Nicole lit up.

"Oh, look at him! He's so cute! No one bothered you about him though?"

"Nah."

Christian smiled softly at the kitten, looking up from it at Nicole. He blinked. That sensation again. That feeling of something gripping at his brain and wracking it around his skull. He closed his eyes, a brief flash of red crossing his mind. "Hey, Chris, have you seen Myron around?" asked Joshua. Christian winced, shaking his head.

"No, I haven't seen him... Uh, Josh, can I talk to you... in private?" The brunet gazed around, shrugging.

"Sure, I guess. We could go outside," he suggested.

"Yeah, that's fine."

They stepped out of the cafeteria and into the outdoor area that led from there. Rather large metal fences enclosed the place, and a few students were dawdling around. School banners ruffled in the wind, and various trash items were scattered around. Joshua and Christian stood around the small balcony segment, frost glued to the edge of the railings. The blond boy rested against them, looking down the short distance to the grass below. Joshua put his hands away in his jacket pockets, blowing some air outand watching it float up.

"Kind of chilly, eh?" he inquired. Christian nodded, snorting. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Just some stuff that's been on mind. You and Nicole are the only people I feel comfortable talking about it with." He sighed. "Ms. Mason told me, when we were at the hospital, that I had been asleep nearly the whole time, but... I know she held something back. She knows about what that cult, The Order, was trying to accomplish, but she didn't even mention it..."

"Could be something she just doesn't feel right talking about," said Joshua with certainty. He seemed to wonder about something else, but focused back on the subject at hand. "And? What about it? Aren't those cultists done away with?"

"I suppose so, but... I feel like it's my _right_ to know... you understand?"

"I hear you. But, I mean, some things are better left not known about."

"...But I think it's too late..." he murmured, looking at the door. "Well, it's just that there's something else about that..." Christian lifted up his sleeve, revealing the 'Halo of the Sun' symbol on his forearm.

Joshua cocked an eyebrow up. "What the hell?"

"I didn't do it myself, in case you're wondering," informed Christian. "I'm not sure if it's some sideaffect of whatever they did, but it burns whenever I'm near Ms. Mason. And... I recall I was dreaming of something when I was "asleep"..."

"Dreaming...? About what?" questioned Joshua, his eyes not leaving the mark.

"I wish I could remember. It's all hazy, though I know I saw a man... I think his name was... _Harry_, or something like that. And there was also this girl... named... Alessa..."

Joshua shrugged, folding his arms. "I think _something's_ clear, and that's that you need to see Ms. Mason about this."

"I know, I know. I can't see her right now though, I know she's not going to want to discuss it..."

"Well, how about after school? I'll even go with you. Never been to her apartment anyway..."

"Hmm... That should be fine," Christian said in a slightly optimistic tone. However, an inkling was apparent in the back of his mind, red invading his eyes for a short second.

---

Zeik scratched his upper lip, looking outside the window. "_So_... what exactly is a pretty little lass like you do out here in the middle of nowhere?"

"Visiting some relatives, that's all. You have any family here? Well, stupid question; you look like the dumb shit who just wanders around."

"Such vulgar language," remarked Zeik with a sneer. Laura glared at him.

"So, do you?"

"I don't know. No immediate ones, if that's what you mean."

She shrugged. "To be honest, I'm still suffering from a little hangover, you know?" Zeik chuckled.

"Oh yeah, I know..." he replied, a rather fond memory floating back up to the surface of his mind. It must've been a year ago, around the time his sister had passed away. Was it April? No, it was May. Sweet, sweet May. The weather had been absolutely perfect on the day of her funeral, at least he thought it had been. Maybe his brain was lying to him, improvising. That day was nice too, when he'd gotten drunk after planting that bomb in that Happy Burger restroom. They referred to him as the "HBRB", the "Happy Burger Restroom Bomber", although he only did it twice. He got a tad crazy whenever the anniversary of Nancy's death came around.

"Music?" asked Laura, disregarding any answer he would've given by switching the radio on. Heavy metal exoploded from the speakers, making Zeik twitch and squirm. He quickly turned it, smiling when the music became the serene symphony of an orchestra.

"Ah, much better," he stated, but she changed it back to its previous station. Zeik scowled and changed it once again. This repeated itself several times before Laura turned the radio off.

"Fine, no music."

Zeik scratched hisear. "Okay."


	36. On the Other Side Part TWO

_The Extremely crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Thirty Six: On the Other Side; Part TWO_

"...won't be long, maybe two hours or so. Yeah. Nah, just letting you know. Okay, bye." Joshua put his cellphone away, looking back out over the railing. Christian had gone inside a few minutes before he had decided to call his father and let him know he would be a bit late with getting home. He didn't have to accompany Christian to their teacher's home, but he felt he had little choice. He was somehow now part of the whole deal, and it troubled him. That town... those sickening creatures and that powerful humanoid _thing_ with that sword. Even if those cultists had all died, and he felt a little pity for them, it didn't mean it was over. Not by a long shot.

He slid a hand through his hair, eyes darting around the area. There. The puppy, watching him from across the field. It was the same one, it had to be. For too long he'd disregarded it; it had to be a part of this. As if noticing it was being watched, the dog ran. Now was his chance. Going the usual way down to the field would take too long, and the animal would get away. Joshua ground his teeth and flipped over the railing, landing shakily on the grass below. He quickly stretched and hastily went after the puppy, the dog already nearing the metal fence.

It didn't matter if he ended up late for class-it was History II, very bland-, as this could be his only shot at finding out what the source of the dog was. It wasn't a normal puppy. There was something sinister about it. Joshua blinked. One second the dog was in front of the fence, the next he was on the other side. The teenager shrugged and scurried up the fence, dropping down to the other side. Glancing at both sides of the streets for cars, he continued after the puppy, sprinting down the block. They passed by several buildings-a Happy Burger, a shop, various others-, until the puppy dashed into an alley. The brunet followed him, stopping at the end. He was at a contrsuction site(a future bank), but no puppy was around. No workers were present, and Joshua doubted they were out for a luch break. The whole place had an eerie quality to it. Out among the dirt and stone, however, was a man.

Joshua recognized him instantly as the man that had visited him at the hospital several days ago. Lucas Schreiber. He was just standing there, holding a book out and reading it silently, mouthing the words. He did not seem to notice the teenager. "Hey," called Joshua, a bit unnerved. "Have you seen a dog around here? A little puppy-,"

"Indeed I have," responded Schreiber, his voice dark and broody. "But it's gone now." He closed the book and turned to Joshua, his eyes glinting with red. "Shouldn't you be at school, or something?" he asked with some impatience; Joshua shrugged.

"Lunch break, and I still have about twenty minutes."

"Twenty minutes? Hmm, how long _is_ your lunch?" He took a few steps forward, the book hanging at his side. In response, Joshua stepped back. The book, Schreiber, the entire construction site was beginning to feel much more oppressive. He swallowed hard.

"Around thirty."

"And don't you eat?"

"I don't get near the hideous stuff they serve there."

Schreiber smiled, the red glint disappearing from his eyes. All at once, the heavy mood lifted, but it still lingered softly in the air. "Take the bus," he said, turning away. Fastest way to get to Noth Ashfield, where she lives." Joshua trembled. How would he know about that? He doubted it, but could the puppy have been acting under Schrieber's orders? Could it have been _spying_ on him? Before he had the chance to ask, the man was gone.

---

Nicole dug her spork into the pile of imitation mashed potatoes, looking up at Christian. "I'd like to go with you two, but I'm a bit busy this afternoon. My cousin got in a couple of days ago, and since she and my uncle aren't going to be in town for long, well, I wanted to spend some time with them. Why exactly are you visiting Ms. Mason?"

Christian hesitated. Beside him, Faith cuddled the kitten. He couldn't start talking about something related to The Order in front of her, and Nicole most likely didn't want to hear about it. If what she said was the truth, those cultists had intended to kill her, back in Silent Hill. Somewhat traumatizing, if you think about it.

"Oh, it's just something I need to discuss with her, uh, some personal stuff."

Nicole popped the potatoe into her mouth. "I see," she replied after swallowing. And that was that. Christian rubbed his forearm; the sensation returned.

_Lovely, is she not? The perfect host... well, maybe not perfect, but quite suitable._

'...Host...? _What_?'

_...For our God._

'Hold on, what _are_ you? You spoke to me before at the hospital, and I want answers.'

_You shall get them, but I request patience; when the time is right-_

Joshua jogged up to the cafeteria table, a tad sweaty. "What's wrong?" asked Nicole; the brunet shook his head.

"Uh, it's nothing, I just went for a small run; how much time do we have left?"

"Around ten minutes."

Joshua nodded. "Okay, thanks." He sat down and grinned at Christian. "We're clear, man."

---

Lucas Schreiber stormed angrily down the sidewalk. The people he passed glanced at him oddly, but it bothered him not. He was so close to completing his objective. 'That blasted Townsend! I could feel the seal breaking even as he spoke, but he blew my concentration! I need more time, I can't do it here...' He suddenly grew disoriented. Something lightly grasped at his brain, testing out its power. He brought a hand up to his forehead. That horrible feeling, but it had intensified this time. He groaned. '...I have to control it somehow... I need the seal broken...!' his mind screamed. Weariness overtook him, and he stumbled into the street.

For the most brief of moments, a sadistic smirk appeared on his face. His eyes burned crimson. A vehicle rushed toward him-a small car. The driver tried to stop, but it was too late. Holding up his hand in a peculiar fashion, the windshield and windows of the car shattered. The driver grasped his ears as blood streamed from them, and his automobile swerved, crashing into another. Lucas returned to normal, sweat pouring down his face. "Getting impatient, are we?" he thought aloud. "Heh..."

He would have to retreat back to the apartment and gather the Aphaoglotis; Linda wouldn't notice, but she _would_ be a nuisance. Best to get rid of her, however now was not the time. He had to rest, decode the book completely. Easier said than done. Slipping away from the carnage, Lucas disappeared into an alleyway...

---

Joshua looked down at his watch, the breeze catching his sleeves. He sighed, tugging at his backpack strap. They'd been waiting for the bus for awhile now. Still, though, Lucas Schreiber dawdled in his head. He was different, earlier that day, different than he had been that day at St. Jerome's hospital. He watched the cars pass by the bus stop. There was a crash earlier, as well, around the time he got back to school. He wasn't sure about the details, but it had supposedly been pretty bad.

Finally, a bus pulled up. "...About time," muttered Joshua. "Come on, Chris." They boarded it, both of them dropping some change into the small metallic box. Not many citizens were on that particular bus that day, which surprised Joshua for a second, but at least there was a varied selection of seats. They chose one near the back, Christian sitting beside the window. The other yawned while taking a seat. "She might not even be home."

"I'm pretty sure she is. You _do_ know where her home is, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry. I ended up visiting there during this one fundraiser, anyway."

Christian said nothing else, leaning his head against the window. He was tired, and had been for the past few days. He felt like he was being pulled in a certain, complex way by some alien force, and it all started when that symbol engraved itself onto his arm. That voice too... was it just his imagination? The bus suddenly stopped; the driver sighed loudly. The blond peered straight ahead, seeing the traffic. 'Perfect,' he complained inwardly. Then, however, he felt that familiar stirring in the back of his head.

_...The Conjurer._

'Huh?'

_Beside you... Yes... What a spectacular oppurtunity..._

Christian glanced over at Joshua, who was busy fiddling with his cellphone. He thought he also spotted someone looking at him from across the other side of the bus. A man, with what seemed like a scar under his eye. Too late to get a good look; he was staring straight. The entity chuckled.

_The Conjurer poses a threat... he will serve only to complicate matters... Now, before I fade away too much..._

His head burned with the greatest agony. He cried out, lurching forward and colliding with the leather seat in front. His cry attracted views from nearly everyone else, and Joshua quickly knelt down to his level. "Chris, Chris, what's wrong? _Chris_!" A young businessman approached, nervously kneeling down.

"What-What happened? We need to call an ambulance or-,"

With one hand Joshua was shoved away, and the other wrapped itself around the man's throat. Rising him into the air, Christian smirked slyly. "You _inferiors_ never know when to mind your own business, do you? You never will, either."

"Christian, what are you doing?" demanded Joshua, getting to his feet. People were about to stand, about to act, but it didn't matter. The man's head was slammed through the window, the laminated glass spilling to the asphalt. There were screams, hysteric mumblings. Christian threw the man to the side, his face blotched with blood and cuts.

"What in God's name is going on back there?" hollered the driver as he stood from his seat and turned around. A mistake. The shard of glass was already flying towards him; he managed an unfinished scream before it lodged itself into his throat, the sanguine leaking out at an alarming rate. One or two rushed to the driver's side, but Joshua furrowed his brow.

"_What the hell are you doing_, Christian? Have you gone _insane_?"

The blond laughed smugly, waving a finger in the air. "Firstly, you are quite mistaken. The one you refer to as _Christian_, is asleep. _I_ am the one in control. And secondly, _insanity_ is but a word you inferiors have crafted to justify your incomprehension of things beyond your understanding, is it not? Not everything is _insane_, even if it appears so."

Joshua stared Christian-or whatever it was-directly in the eye, gasping. The deepest shade of crimson had engulfed his pupils. Now that was something he'd call just plain _freaky_. "Now, _Conjurer_, enough talk. I have waited so long to act, biding my time while incoherent inferiors worked out the design _I_ was meant to. And like typical inferiors they misinterpreted the entirety of it. No longer shall that be the case. I will right the wrongs they committed, and I shall begin by eliminating your presence permanently!"

The entity fetched a random piece of broken glass from the floor, lunging at Joshua at dazzling speeds. In an instant he was down in one of the aisles, locked in a struggle as the shard was held up just inches from his face. "Why are you... _doing this_?" he questioned, gradually losing his control.

Christian's face contorted into a wicked grin. "Because, Conjurer, you and I are alike in one way; the quality of our souls. The spirits residing within us-in my case, within _him_- are extremely powerful, and it is the ability to harness that power that I fear! Allowing a threat like you to exist is ludacris!"

"_Oh_? And what about killing some innocent man? Isn't that ludacris?"

"You could not understand, imbecillic boy! I cannot, and will not, take any chances!" At that moment the entity gained the upper hand in the struggle, driving the shard of glass downward. Joshua diverted it at the last second, though, and the shard only slashed him across the face, leaving a small gash; droplets of blood flew up with the knife and hit Christian's face; he winced. "N-_No_!"

Joshua felt all of Christian's strength give way all of a sudden. "Get off!" he exclaimed, pushing him back towards the ruined window. The man with the scar stepped between them.

---

Abraham watched as the blond boy tackled the other one down, attempting to strike him with a jagged piece of glass. He noticed him nail a small cut. '...Just like that day...' And then he remembered. That red haze, it had been in Lucas's eyes as well, all those years ago. As the brunet boy pushed his attacker away, Abraham moved inbetween them.

"Wait!" he said, pointing at Christian. "Whatever you are, I remember you! So, it wasn't Lucas that day, but it was you! You're the one who gave me this scar!" He adjusted his finger so that it now pointed at the feature beneath his right eye.

Christian's eyes widened, and his maniacal smile grew as well. "...Ah yes, I recall that. But it was not _I_, specifically, who dealt you that scar; it was my other, more complete self: the part I yearn to be with again."

The boy collapsed.


	37. Surprises, Surprises

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Thirty Seven: Surprises, Surprises_

On that same day, several fires erupted without warning in random locations throughout the city of Ashfield. Citizens suffered chest pains randomly, and the city was in chaos for some hours. But then it all stopped. People who were in agony on second were perfectly fine the next. The fires died down, rain began to pour from above... The police and other emergency authorities had no idea what was going on half of the time.

"Kind of weird, all that's going on today, don't you think, Bill?" asked Officer Gates as he sat hunched over at the front desk. Bill, a middle-aged man with great, bristly mustache, shrugged as he flipped through a newspaper nearby. He rubbed his thumb over a thin sheet of paper, grunting.

"I guess. How about that kid? Has he woken up yet?"

"Nah," said Gates, sliding a hand through his hair. It was slicked back with an unnecessary amount of hair gel. "Least I don't think so. He wasn't even totally concious when they brought him in. What'd he do? Sounded pretty serious when they got in."

"Janice said he assaulted some men on a bus; one of them died," answered Bill coldly. Gates let out a whistle, leaning back.

"A kid commit murder?" Gates seemed genuinely surprised. "How old was he? Fifteen, sixteen?"

"Happens all the time," Bill remarked, skimming through a page of his newspaper. "In fact, I've been here long enough that I've seen quite a few strange things. Ever heard of the Walter Sullivan case?" Gates nodded.

"Yeah, big one, wasn't it? Wasn't there a copycat some time ago?" He saw Bill close the newspaper.

"Yep, if you believe it was a copycat."

"If it wasn't a copycat, then who was it? Sullivan killed himself when he was arrested all those years ago," stated Gates, playing with a pen.

"I don't think he really did. I remember that crazy bastard..." Bill shuddered, as if recalling some horrible memory. "I was there when we finally caught him; he'd already killed ten people and scribbled his name on their pitiful corpses." Gates blinked, straining to hear as Bill lowered his voice. "The psycho kept rambling about some 'Red Devil'. Didn't shut up about it, 'till a friend of mine socked him good. I wish I'd have been the one to do it. Sullivan slaughtered _children_, Jim, and he didn't give a shit, that was the scary part.

"But he was creepy, I'll tell you that. Wasn't normal, not your usual homicidal maniac..." He sighed. "Well, it's nothing to worry about now." And with that, he resumed reading a newspaper article. Gates groaned.

---

"I'm freaking freezing! Turn the blasted A.C. down!" Catherine practically yelled from the backseat, hugging herself and lying down with her back to them. Outside, forests zoomed by, the windows covered with frost. Alexis turned the heater up a notch, sighing in the passenger seat.

"...We... stole this car..." he said emotionlessly, more entranced by the dust on the dashboard. Melissa sped the car up.

"No we didn't."

"Yes... we did."

She slammed on the brakes and stopped the vehicle abruptly. "Then get out, Alexis," she said icily, but Alexis didn't budge. Catherine ceased worming around and turned over to watch them.

"Jeremy told us... to never... let our... emotions... cloud our judgment. He-,"

"I'm doing this for Grandfather, alright?" She tightened her clutch on the steering wheel, her eyes darkening. "He dedicated almost all of his life to fulfill the Crimson Paragraph, and he would've done it incorrectly anyway. We owe it to him, you see, to make sure it wasn't for nothing, but I _won't_ help those people."

"Oh yeah... why aren't we?" inquired Catherine. Melissa did not answer. She stared at a plethora of birds as they flew out in the distance.

"...There has to be some mention of that second half in Silent Hill," she stated, looking up with a newfound determination in her eyes. "If it was such a big deal, then The Order _has_ to have something, you know what I mean? Maybe in a library, or something..."

"Don't worry, Melly, there's got to be, right, Alexis?" Catherine said reassuringly. Alexis shrugged.

"Who knows...? We... won't find out... by just sitting here..." he said, glancing at them.

"Right, let's not waste any more time."

---

"Mom is... going to be pissed," remarked Joshua. He sat in a bench outside the police station. There was a slight mist coming down. The view was gloomy to say the least. He tapped his cut, cringing. Standing beside him, Abraham Jackson lit a cigarette.

"Don't worry about it," he said, taking a drag. "You had no idea that was going to happen." Joshua shrugged, running a hand through his hair.

"Well I should've; too many freaky things have been going on lately... Thanks for your help, um..."

"Abraham."

"Yeah, Abraham. By the way," the teenager rubbed his neck, "you said something on the bus, when you were talking to Christian. I mean, whatever it was. Chris has been going through a lot recently, and I just don't know. I thought that whole cult deal was done and over with."

"Cult?" Abraham slid his cigarette out of his mouth. "What cult?" His tone was grave.

"Oh, it's nothing," said Joshua quickly, "I just let it slip-,"

"The Order. So, Langer was truthful about other sections still existing..." Abraham trailed off, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Joshua was surprised.

"You know about them? Those cultists were going to use Christian and Nicole in some plot, or ritual. I think Ms. Mason stopped them, though... Dammmit, I can barely remember what happened!" The man flicked his cigarette away.

"Listen, it's Joshua, right? Good. Look, you say some members of The Order tried something? Where? Who was part of it? Don't worry-it doesn't matter to me how you were involved." He said this all very fast, eyeing Joshua intensely.

"Uh..." The brunet pondered on what to say. When did some guy just interrogate you about something like that all of a sudden. He gulped. "I recall two of their names... Jeremy... and Noah, I think. There were three others, kind of strange..."

Abraham took a deep breath, bowing his head. 'Jeremy... Blackheart?' he thought. 'He was that other man Langer kept in touch with...'

"And where did all this happen? Was it that town, Silent Hill?"

Joshua blinked. "That's right, it _was_ Silent Hill." He furrowed his brow. "Why are you asking, though?"

"_Because_, if what you say is true, then something has been started that has yet to be finished. Jeremy Blackheart must have been attempting the ritual of the Crimson Paragraph, but whether or not he knew the entirety of it I can't be sure. That means..." His eyes lit up. "Your friend must be the Carrier, the host of God's soul!" Abraham clenched his fists. "If that's true... the first part of the Paragraph should already be done. Joshua, who was that person you mentioned?"

"What? Oh-Ms. Mason, one of my teachers at Ashfield High School. Cheryl Mason."

"Cheryl Mason. So she was involved too... It has to be _her_." He winced. "There's not much time. Joshua, I need you to go and fetch that teacher of yours, and be quick about it. I have to speak to your friend about all of this." He then turned and went back inside; Joshua groaned.

---

When Lucas returned to the apartment he found a hastily scribbled note taped to the door. He scanned it hurriedly.

_Out to see someone._

He grimaced. 'Why would I even care?' he wondered, ripping the paper down and throwing it off to the side. He then stormed inside. A great pain was tearing through him, and he practically collapsed. He dropped the book, and he spat at it. "Damn you! Once I uncover... the secrets you contain... I won't..." Lucas was unable to finish. He brought a shaky hand to his chest, screaming out a horrible scream. Bringing his fist down onto the book he let out another roar. And, in a blind rage, he tore the book open, flipping through the pages at an inhuman speed. Each one blank, except for the very last one. His bloodshot eyes took in the words.

_...And after the Maiden has crossed to the side over, the Red God shall surrender his flesh to the purest form of God..._

The pain within him subsided. A newfound energy spurred him to his feet, chuckling lightly the whole time. "Unbelievable! To think breaking the seal would be so simple..." He snatched the book up, his dark eyes finding an opened phone book lying on a table closeby. He looked down the page, seeing a number and address circled in black ink. "Cheryl Mason, eh? Hmm... Well now, I should be on my way."

With the book in his hand, Lucas departed, a stagnant odor in his wake.

---

Zeik couldn't help but hum as he leaned against the building wall, watching the cars go by as he licked his vanilla icecream cone. It was impossible for him to identify the tune, yet it was so familiar. He assumed it came from his childhood days, when everything was all right. There weren't any problems then. It was just him and his sister and their family...

A little girl with bobbed brown hair and freckles stared at his icecream cone with wide eyes. Zeik returned the stare. "What?" he asked, licking the icecream slowly. The girl moved her head to see the tongue flick back into his mouth. Zeik blinked.

"No. Go get your own. _This is mine_." She was not fazed by his words. Growing impatient, Zeik snarled. "Look, you little hellspawn, this is my icecream, _not yours_! I _deserve_ this after everything I've endured, and you haven't done shit! You're just a miniscule, stupid wasp who pulls a tantrum everytime she doesn't get what she wants! So-,"

The little girl delivered a good kick to his groin. He gave a startled yelp, dropped the icecream cone, and cupped his unmentionables in discomfort. The little girl smiled and picked up the icecream before merrily skipping away.

"Confund it...! I'll get you!" coughed Zeik as he got up. He rubbed his injured arm, grimacing at the rain. It had worsened over the last fifteen minutes or so. Sighing, he started down the sidewalk, noticing not the jogging teenager before it was too late. He crashed into him. Uttering a curse, Zeik quickly got to his feet, glaring at the brown-haired boy as he stood. Before they could curse each other out, however, they gasped.

"_You_!" exclaimed the boy. "You're alive, uh... I forgot your name..."

"It's 'Zeik' you bumbling dimwit!" He sighed annoyedly. "And just my luck to run into _you_ here. Don't think I haven't forgotten about killing you: I haven't had the time. For the last few days I've been dawdling around this city with twenty dollars this blonde bimbo gave me after dropping me off! I'm pissed!"

Joshua was barely listening. "Um, okay, that's cool, but I'm kind of in a hurry, so later!" He raced past Zeik, who flicked him off as he went.

"I love you too!" he shouted. For the next few minutes he was just there, contemplating on what to do. Shaking his head, he followed.

---

Linda pressed the doorbell of the condominium a second time, scowling. She was drenched from this unexpected downpour, and it didn't look like it was going to stop anytime soon. It buzzed. Blowing a strand of yellow from in front of her face she waited. The door opened a creak. A teenage boy ran from out of nowhere up the small steps and was beside her in an instant. He seemed very distracted, but they glanced at each other.

"...Can I help you?" came Cheryl Mason's voice from behind the creak. Then the door opened wider, and she blinked at the boy.

"Joshua? What're you doing here? What-,"

"Look, Ms. Mason, Christian's in trouble, and this guy, Abraham-,"

"Abraham?" said Linda.

"Hurry up and get inside, then you can tell me what this is all about. Do your parents even know about this? Yes-you can come in too."

Both Joshua and Linda walked inside, Cheryl closing the door when they were all inside. Linda spoke first. "I have no idea what's going on, Ms. Mason, I assure you. I just wanted to speak with you."

Cheryl waved a hand. "That's fine. What's your name, anyway?"

"Oh, sorry. It's Linda."

"What about you, Joshua?"

"Well, earlier today, after school, Christian and I were on our way over here, because he wanted to talk and I felt like tagging along. Something happened, I don't know what, but something... _possessed_ him and he went all insane, and it rambled on about some ritual and whatnot."

She furrowed her brow. "_Christian_? Just what-,"

"Ah, I see-so _it_ finally awakened."

The three of them turned, Linda's eyes widening. "Lucas! What are _you_ doing here?" she said in shock. Joshua backed away.

"Lucas Schreiber..." he muttered, wincing upon noticing the book that was in his hand. He held it up, grinning at Joshua.

"Menacing, isn't it, Townsend? To think so much power could be staored within a single, aged book. I simply _must _thank Abraham when I see him in a bit," he said, holding it out. Cheryl raised an eyebrow.

"Who are-,"

"Oh, I don't think we've had the pleasure of meeting before, Ms. Mason. I am Lucas Schreiber, and both Linda and I have heard _so_ much about you."

"You... You're with The Order, _aren't you_?"

"Technically speaking, no, but I _am_ loosely-related, as is my friend, Linda, over there." He nodded toward her, and immediately Cheryl moved away.

"What-What do you want with me?" she demanded, looking frantically between them. Lucas shook his head.

"Linda has no idea about what I am trying to accomplish; in fact, I've come to get her out of the way, being the tiresome nuisance that she is." In response, Linda gasped.

"What are you talking about, Lucas?" He laughed, holding the book out for all to see. "_This_ is what I'm talking about. The seal on God's soul! Once I eradicate it, I can take its power for my own, suck it dry out of that pathetic boy, Christian Richards! However, by destroying the seal I'll be destroying the fragment of the soul _I_ have under my command, but... sometimes sacrifices must be made."

Visible only for Joshua and Lucas, a puppy shuffled out from behind Lucas's feet. He smirked at it. "Only you can see it, right, Townsend? It's been an obedient servant, but it is no longer useful. Years ago I extracted it from the boy, and now it seems I must return it to the great abyss."

"So," said Joshua, "you're the one who's been controlling it! But why have you had it follow me around?"

"Because, Townsend, you are a threat to my plan. You are the reincarnation of the Conjurer, Walter Sullivan, so I had to be sure you were kept under watch. Needless to say, I've been tracking you since your birth. Of course, being of such little power, this fragment of God's soul could only be seen when its energies reacted to similar ones that emanated from other entities; namely, your dear teacher, Cheryl Mason, and Walter Sullivan.

"Anyway, I've wasted too much time." Lucas cleared his throat, held the book out at a reasonable length, and recited the incantation. Instantaneously, the book combusted in crimson flames, the puppy falling on its side, fading away. Joshua and the others looked on in horror as Lucas let the book fall to the floor, the flames spreading. "Now, if you'll please excuse me, I must be off. I have to meet with my old friend Abraham, and, of course, _your _friend, Christian." And, with that, he vanished.

---

"Kid, wake up! Hey!" Abraham made a futile attempt to try and awaken Christian from his slumber inside his small cell, but the boy would not respond. It had been like this for the last half hour. Abraham hoped Joshua had not encountered any problems...

The lights dimmed, then flashed on. He looked up at them, frowning. A hand clapsed him gently on the shoulder.

"Feeling all right, Abraham?" The voice was cold and cocky, and he shrugged it off and turned to face Lucas. He narrowed his eyes.

"Hello, Luke. What are you doing here?" He kept his cool; he had not noticed Lucas enter at any time.

"I've come, Abraham, to fetch the boy," stated Lucas. "I really must thank you for the book; you unknowingly gave me exactly what I needed, and I hadn't realized it until I saw the book for what it really was."

"...Luke, what are you trying to say?"

"Oh, nothing much. But time is of the essence. Unfortunately, our talk will have to wait." With a wave of his hand, braham blacked out...


	38. The Endlessness of the Void

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Thirty Eight: The Endlessness of the Void_

"You sure we'll find anything here in Jeremy's study?" inquired Catherine as she stifled a yawn. The room was hardly large, cramped with an assortment of crates and cabinets which were filled with numerous files and papers.

As she skimmed through a drawer, she answered, "There has to be something. I doubt Grandfather thoroughly checked everything; he only used the room temporarily. Now, mind helping?"

"...Fine, chill out..." muttered Catherine as she began combing through a cabinet. Alexis was near a window, peering out at the foggy streets and buildings.

"...We... need to hurry," he said, tugging at his coat collar. Melissa shook her head, glancing at him.

"We just got here, Alexis, and this will take some time; we're going as fast as we can." He looked to Catherine, who was lazily throwing papers and files to the floor. She tried to have them land on the desk, but, exterting no effort, they missed their target by quite a margin.

"Stop that!" hissed Melissa, growing frustrated by it. Catherine sighed, kicking at the drawer. "It's going to take forever to look through everything, Mel, it's hopeless!"

"Just stop complaining!"

"Don't tell me what to do!"

Alexis shook his head sadly and turned back to the window. He gasped as a muscular, bloody hand shot through the wall and curled around his throat. The two women jumped back, each letting out a startled scream. The pyramid Head stalked into the room, throwing Alexis down onto the desk. The wall gave way as a spear became apparent in its hands. A hearty chuckle came from beside it. "Well, well, well, what do we have here? Three little mice prowling around, I see..." Lucas smirked devilishly.

"No doubt you are the people Linda contacted regarding the Crimson Paragraph," he said, eyeing each of them boredly. Melissa scowled at him while she helped Alexis to his feet.

"Are you an associate of hers?" she questioned, receiving a short laugh in response.

"Indeed. However, I do not share her perspective. In fact, I'd rather _not _have your help at all, and look at you, scouring around a shabby old shack. And for what? Some clues? Hardly. You'll find nothing of the sort here."

"Told you!" exclaimed Catherine angrily at Melissa who motioned for her to quiet down.

"What do you want with us? What about that demon?"

"The demon is under my control, hence my title as the "Controller", in the crimson Paragraph," he explained, adjusting the cuffs of his jacket. "It failed me before, but my previous prey was, should I say, a bit more _nimble_."

"Prey...?" asked Melissa, and Lucas smiled.

"Of course." He turned to the demon. "Slave!" he yelled, "As you are a manifestation of Silent Hill's power, you are under my control! Therefore, I command you to destroy them!" The pyramid head gave a resistant grunt and raised the spear, aiming it at Melissa.

"Well then, I must bid goodbye, my friends. May you die a quick death." With another, confident laugh, Lucas disappeared, and the demon hurled its weapon at the raven-haired woman.

"Melissa!" shouted Alexis as he shoved her out of the way. At that moment the spear shot through him, sailing toward and embedding itself into the wall. He cried out, pinned there like a helpless doll. The pyramid head grasped him by the arm and flung him off, yanking the spear out as well.

"No, _Alexis_!" screamed Melissa, her gaze falling on Catherine, who was staring at her with watery eyes.

"Mel-,"

Too late. She was struck down by the spear. Melissa could do nothing but cover her mouth in shock, and back away up to the wall. She winced, looking down to see a cut across her hand; blood dripped down it. Looking back up, she threw herself to the side as the spear crashed through the corresponding wall, cabinets and papers flying every which way.

She turned onto her back from her place on the wooden floor, the demon already holding its weapon above her, ready to plunge it downward. She screamed, throwing her arms up in defense, several droplets of blood soaring through the air toward the pyramid head. It moved away suddenly, as if afraid. It made an inhuman sound, dropped the spear, and dissipated into thin air.

Melissa remained like that for a few minutes, on the verge of tears. Something crawled its way toward her. "...Mel... lissa..." Alexis croaked, grabbing her arm weakly. She turned to him, able only to mumble something incomprehensible.

"Alexis..." Hope ignited within her, and she clapsed his shoulders. "Alexis, be still! I'll get help, you'll-,"

"...No..." he muttered, blood seeping down his chin from his mouth. "I just... wanted to apologize... for earlier... I... doubt Catherine... is still alive... and... it's all so..." He coughed crimson. Her expression was grim, but he kept his head bowed. "...You... have to get out of here, that is all... You... can't have... our sacrifices... mean nothing... Just... Just believe... in yourself..."

He went silent and became still. He was in her arms, and Melissa realized that he was dead. Just like that. Both of them, in a matter of seconds, had been killed. She couldn't cry; the only thing that left her mouth was a distorted sob, and she cursed. 'It left me alive... Why? Why did it leave me alive when they were all gone!' Her mind spun with questions, but she felt the cold revolver in her coat.

"You two didn't deserve this... None of you did...I was the oldest, it was my responsibilty to make sure you were all okay. And now, you're gone. Whoever he was... I'll make him pay for this, I swear! He had no consideration for your lives, and, in turn, I will have none for his!"

Nodding to herself she rose, gun clutched tightly to one side. The wind chilled her face, and she left the room through the giant passage the demon had left in the wall.

---

"Abraham, wake up."

His eyelids fluttered open. His sunglasses had been put off to the side. There were no artificial lights in the wide, old room; the only source of light was from two windows on the walls. The room was empty, built from aged lumber. He could smell and see the mold in the far corners of the room. Lucas stared down at him, his arms folded.

"Feeling alright?" he asked plainly. Abraham stood and dusted his clothing off, his eyes never leaving Lucas. The older man turned round and stepped a few feet, stroking his chin the whole way. Abraham glanced to his side. He saw the boy there, Christian, propped up against the wall. They met each other's gaze.

"You were right, Abraham," said Lucas. "I _did_ do something in the three days the boy was in our hands. He was a baby, totally helpless."

"...I see," replied Abraham dryly, "but _what_ was it that you did?" He looked back to Christian, who was listening intently despite having his head drooped.

"He doesn't know any more than you do, I can assure you that. If you're wondering, by the way, we're in an empty storehouse in Silent Hill. It's only one building, though, nothing fancy."

"That's fine. And the only exit is behind you. How did we get here?"

"I harnessed the power I have at my disposal now. I owe it all to you, of course, but that can come later. You wish to know what I did? Well, it's quite simple. Over the years of our education, Abraham, I began to realize a crucial flaw in our existence as beings. Yes, we may be the dominant species on this planet, but we are so inferior when you think about it. We have no power whatsoever. We are at the mercy of the endless void that is the universe. We can do _nothing _to change our fate, for our fate, or our _destiny_, is predetermined.

"Once I knew this, I could not bring myself to accept it. To think that we are given free will and reason, yet we have no control over our lives! It's preposterous! You must agree with me on _that_, Abraham." He paused, cleared his throat. "I started thinking about how I could somehow bypass this. I wanted to gain control over my life, and not allow some alien force to condemn me to a fate I do not deserve! I pored over Langer's numerous volumes and books, searching for something that would assist me. That is when I read about the gods that Langer so often preached. At the time, being only eleven, the process seemed unbelievable. To summon a god and imbue yourself with it. Insane, don't you think?

"But it was so tempting, so I researched it more. To merge with the soul of a god--the soul, is, in essence, the god itself--one must have a soul powerful enough to withstand the almight force of such power. It was the only way to keep control over yourself and the spirit. So, I began short, secret meditations each day. I had to strengthen my soul, become capable. Yet I _still_ had to endure Langer's prolonged ramblings."

Abraham nodded. "It's a brilliant plan, albeit an extremely risky one. I take it you succeeded, then?"

"Indeed." Lucas grinned smugly. "For two years I waited, growing stronger and stronger, until at last my time came. The boy supposedly held the supreme god's soul, didn't he? It was my opportunity, for, to ascend to the highest level, one cannot settle for second best."

"So, your plan was to welcome some... _spirit_ into your body? Without even being certain of its existence?"

"Yes, if you want to put it as bluntly as that. But I had to tread carefully; becoming one with such a spirit of high regard requires that you be powerful enough to sustain it. So, I summoned the Red God, Valtiel."

"You're kidding," said Abraham skeptically.

"No, it really does exist. In fact, it's most likely listening to our conversation this very moment. In any case, I imbued myself with Valtiel's essence, and stumbled into uncharted territory. Fortunately enough, I managed to restrict it to a point where I had some level of control over it. However, my mission was not finished yet. In a complex process I separated a small part of Valtiel's soul and traded it for a small part of the god's soul, which was much easier to control."

"What was the point of that, though?" questioned Abraham. "I see no sense in it."

Lucas sighed. "Because, Abraham, being the Carrier of God's soul, the boy, Christian, has no soul of _his_ own. He is but a mere shell, "borrowing" the other spirit to exist." Christian was now standing, a perplexed look on his face.

"That sounds like something that man, Jeremy, said..." he blurted. "Who... _Who am I_?" He looked at Lucas desperately, but the man only ran a hand through his hair.

"Well, finally decided to speak I see. It's quite simple. You, Christian, are the human incarnation of the god The Order worshipped. After Cheryl Mason killed your previous, monstrous, imperfect form, you were what was left: the "messiah" to The Order. The Crimson Paragraph foretold your birth, but you were only a cheap tool to be used. See, Abraham-another fine example of my point."

"...And the Crimson Paragraph... what is that? Is it a ritual?"

"Somewhat. It is a prophecy, giving vague clues as to how to act out the ritual. I have no intention of completing the ritual, however."

"No," said Abraham, "because your plan would render it useless."

Lucas smiled slyly. "Exactly." He held up his right arm and rolled the sleeve up, revealing a pentacle of sorts etched into his forearm. "You see this? It is the mark of Valtiel, the mark The Order. 'The Halo of the Sun'." He spotted Christian glancing down at his own arm, and said, "Yes, it is because you have Valtiel within you that the mark has appeared."

The boy hung his head low. "So this voice inside my head... That's your Valtiel?"

"Correct. It awakened instead of God, which was what I'd planned. Now I can freely control the powers it grants me. For sixteen years I have waited, and now I have my chance!"

He made to move towards Christian, but Abraham got between them. "I... can't let you go through with this, Luke. It's bad enough that you would do that to yourself, but to do it to a child... It's immoral."

"_Morals_?" scoffed Lucas. "Hardly. No one follows their morals or beliefs anymore, Abraham; they are spurred on only by the promise of power! So..." With a sharp jerk of his hand Abraham was flung to the wall harshly. He landed in a crumpled form at its base.

Lucas paid him no heed, as he reached into his jacket and brought out a small, glass vial containing a red liquid. Uncorking it, he chuckled maniacally before swallowing it all in one gulp. He then threw it to the floor, the glass shattering everywhere.

"Now, Christian, time for me to take Valtiel fully into myself!" He took the blond's right forearm roughly, pinning it against a piece of rubble nearby. Christian hissed, a great heat burning there. Lucas's grin became wider, as he moved back, his pupils crimson.

"Perfect! I am ready now for my true performance! It has worked! Now-,"

A gunshot. A bullet flew through his torso, but he did not stagger. His face twisted into grim anger, and he turned to see Melissa Blackheart standing at the entrance, her revolver held tightly in her hands. She was shaking, her eyes sticky with dried tears.

Lucas frowned. "What a terrible annoyance you are! How you survived the demon's attack, I do not know, nor do I care, but he failed nonetheless! And here you are, interrupting me right when I'm about to achieve my greatest goal! I must end you quickly."

"You killed them for no reason!" she cried, pulling the trigger two more times. He was caught by both, but it did not stop him as he walked slowly over to her.

"Surprised?" he asked with wicked glee. "Your pathetic weapons can no longer affect me!" Nevertheless, she shot him as much as she could, leaving a single bullet remaining. He did nothing to stop her, but the effects were apparent. He was now covered in blood, slightly weakened. However, he chuckled. "Done? Good."

With another motion of his hand the revolver was ripped from her grip and subjected to the floor. He laughed, using his powers to dislodge a long, sharp piece of wood from the ceiling. "N-No!" Christian yelled, but Lucas halted none. Without even touching it, he hurled the thing at her like a javelin, and the results were similar. It occured all very fast, and she had no time to move as the crude weapon impaled her. Half a scream left her throat as he removed the piece of wood with a swish of the hand. She collapsed, and he laughed.

But not for long.

"_Lucas_!" He turned. Abraham was there, Melissa's revolver in his hand. He fired, the bullet blasting through Lucas's forehead, killing him instantly. Christian watched in disgust. Abraham just stared, breathing frantically. He shook his head and dropped the gun, racing over to Melissa's side. Christian did the same.

"...Oh God..." Abraham muttered, looking her over. She was losing blood at quite a pace. "We need to somehow cover this wound," he said gravely. "But-,"

"...No."

"What?"

She shook her head as best she could. "It's... better this way, I... assure you..." She glanced at Christian, who was staring at her with wide eyes.

"I remember you," he stated. "From that church..."

"...Yes, so do I... I'm... just glad you're still alive... It was the least I could do... for Grandfather... and... Noah..." Her eyes glazed over, her small smile disappearing without a trace. Abraham blinked, squinting. Sighing, he closed her eyes, allowing her to lie upon the cold floor.

Christian controlled a frightened sob. Something rose behind him. "...What a spectacle," said Lucas casually. "I will never truly understand you mortals and your troublesome emotions."

Both Abraham and Christian spun around, taken aback. There was Lucas, a bloody hole in the center of his head. His pupils were entirely red, and Abraham shuddered, recalling that day...

"Luke...?" he asked softly.

"...Oh no, the Controller is quite dead. But I, inferiors, still have a duty to fulfill, and I will fulfill it, either incorrectly _or_ correctly."


	39. Drifting

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Thirty Nine: Drifting_

It was through watching the news that Myron discovered the fires that were wreaking havoc all across Ashfield. He was tucked away in bed, sick as anything could be—unless it was an empty can of paint, because those don't catch colds—and he was flipping through the cable channels aimlessly. He happened upon the news at last and decided he might as well watch it. Because, you see, Myron was the type of person that watched the news.

There was also a segment regarding something that happened on a bus that left one man dead and the other in critical condition. Myron paid only the slightest attention to it, and that's when the doorbell rang.

He pulled himself out of bed and looked over himself quickly. All he was wearing was a simple white t-shirt and some baggy, black shorts. No one came by that much, anyway. He pulled his glasses off and rubbed the sleepiness out his eyes. Then he left his room, peered out the peephole of the front door, blinked in some sort of surprise, and opened it.

"H-Hey, N-N-Nicole," he said, and the blonde girl nodded at him from outside with a smile.

"Hi, Myron. I brought you your homework, well, from the classes we have together at least." She held a couple of books and some sheets of paper out to him, and he took them tentatively. He went through them and then sniffled.

"T-T-T-Thanks… So, uh, how, how is every-everyone?"

"They're fine. I think Josh and Christian went to go visit Miss Mason for something after school. I just hope they're not getting into trouble or anything."

"I w-w-wouldn't w-worry. Josh and Ch-Chris can take care of themselves."

"I know."

---

Joshua shielded his eyes from the raging, lilac inferno as it ate away at the furniture and space surrounding it. The flames changed colors without pause, becoming blue one moment, then a dazzling fuchsia the next. It was all very perplexing. He looked around, squinting through the heat.

Someone caught his arm. "Joshua, come on, _move_!" He was thrust unceremoniously toward the door, which was barricaded by pieces of flaming debris and burnt wood.

"Shit…" he muttered, a window catching his eye nearby. He made to jump through it, but he looked behind him to see Linda on the floor, a piece of debris having pinned her leg down. He reluctantly raced over to her and knelt down beside her. "Hey, can you move? Uh… Stop squirming and I'll try to get it off."

The rubble was easily removed, and Joshua helped her up, moving towards the window. "Come on..."

She coughed. "What about… _her_…?"

"Ms. Mason can take care of herself, but if we don't get out of here quick we'll be burned to death!" He chanced a glance behind him, cursing under his breath. "Ms. Mason, where are you? We need to go!"

The window shattered, and in came Zeik, who had thrown himself inside. He got up, shaking bits of glass from his hair with his better arm. "Hey, weird kid!" he called, waving his arm erratically. Joshua groaned upon seeing him, but he urged Linda forward.

"Go with that guy and get out of here! I need to find Ms. Mason!" Quickly he spun around and hastened to the back of the apartment. He found her in a back room, gathering things from a wardrobe.

"Ms. Mason, what are you doing? We need to get out!" She shook her head fiercely, turning to him.

"…This is all because of me, Joshua, and… it doesn't seem like things are going to get any better…"

"Oh, nonsense! Just come on! This isn't the time to be so angsty!" He grasped her arm and led her back. Strangely, she did not protest. Her home was beyond saving, and Cheryl seemed to realize that. They both escaped through the open window, and a group of people had gathered outside.

Cheryl screwed her eyes up and pulled Linda aside. "That man, who was he?" she asked her fiercely, but Joshua got between them.

"That was Lucas Schreiber, some psycho who I guess is part of that cult," he said, glancing at Linda. "But… yeah, who is he?"

"Lucas… he was a colleague of mine. We… were students of the Valtiel sect…."

Cheryl sighed in exasperation. "How many of you people are there…"

"No!" Linda protested, "I didn't know what Lucas was doing, I swear! I never intended any of you any harm, but the Crimson Paragraph _requires_ this! It has to happen so God can… ah, never mind. Lucas isn't acting himself, I'm telling you. He wouldn't do this."

Zeik looked around himself. "Don't tell me your friend went to that shit-hole… You know, Silent Hill?"

"How should I know?"

"Well, don't you guys talk, or whatever?"

"I had no idea!"

"Enough!" Cheryl exclaimed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Christian-he's in danger, right, Joshua?"

"That's what Abraham said, but I don't really get what's going on…"

"It's Lucas…" muttered Linda. "He's trying to violate the prophecy in some way, trying to alter it… He's not the Lucas I once knew…" She composed herself and turned towards them with a newfound confidence. "He'll be in Silent Hill."

---

The entity controlling Lucas Schreiber looked over its new body with a sickly expression on its face. It clenched the fists, practiced various facial movements… At last, it clicked Schreiber's tongue and uttered a single word.

"Christian."

The blond boy gulped and awkwardly fidgeted. Lucas's body shifted forward. His pupils were the most intense shade of crimson Christian had ever seen. It disturbed him. "…All those years I remained dormant within you… Oh, how strange it feels to finally be out! I must tell you, I owe Lucas quite a bit of thanks. After summoning me and subjecting me to sleep for nearly two decades… he had unknowingly given me the chance I required. _God_ was destroyed, you see, and I will make certain that does not repeat itself."

"So then…" Abraham said while he bit his lip, a horrid fear gnawing at his insides, "I take it you are Valtiel?"

Lucas' face mixed itself up in an odd expression. One of the hands aimlessly dabbed at the face. "Valtiel…?" It grinned. "Is _that_ the name you humans have conjured for me?"

Christian and Abraham exchanged uncertain glances. "What do you mean by that?" inquired Abraham.

"_All_ entities have a true name at their very core, or not really the _person_, in your case, but the soul." Valtiel frowned. "Forgive me. Beings like myself do not exist on the same plane as you do. We have not earthly bodies to hold us down and restrain ourselves to your plane of existence."

"Because your spirits, right? You are _infinite_," Abraham said while shifting to the left.

"Not only that, but we were never incarnated," informed Valtiel. "We are entirely pure, not tainted, as you are, except, of course, in the case of Christian."

The teenager looked down at himself, almost in disgust. "…I just don't get it… I'm no… God, I'm just a _kid_!"

"…A bit of shame," Valtiel stated, eyeing the boy with those crimson pupils of his. "You do not carry the sacred blood that would enable you to harness the _God's_ power, rendering you useless."

"What's that?" Abraham narrowed his eyes, moved forward suddenly. "What do you mean by 'sacred blood'? The Crimson Paragraph never mentioned _anything_ about blood. All it required was that God be transferred to a maiden who had a connection to the Carrier!"

"Your _Crimson Paragraph_ means nothing. To be at its full potential, the _God_ must be within a host with the ability to use its great powers. This is impossible now. Lucas was one such person; he was powerful enough to will me down just enough to control me, but he is dead now, as you can very plainly see." It nodded towards Melissa's still body.

"She too. Would a demon have attempted to attack her, she would have been capable of fending it off with her blood. The Conjuror holds the same type of blood, in all of his incarnations."

"Then how are you supposed to be able to use your powers if Lucas is dead?" Abraham demanded in frustration.

"I have existed inside Lucas' body since before he died. I have _complete_ control of him; if _God_ possessed this body, it would have no way of managing it. It has no experience in controlling you humans. It must be welcomed into a healthy, lively person, and as you said, Abraham," it sneered, "it must be a _maiden_."

"But you can't just pick any random person off the street! Not everyone has this _special_ blood of yours!" he retorted, but Valtiel shrugged.

"I am aware of that. In fact, the person I have in mind does not have the blood. However, she is quite an exception… Who better than the Holy Mother herself?"

Abraham grew quiet, closed his eyes, and pondered this. The dilapidated building sighed. Slowly, he looked up. "The Holy Mother…. Alessa Gillespie… but she _died_. Robert Langer told us that she died in that fire…"

"…Yet she lives on in her reincarnated form of Cheryl Mason. Heather Morris. Two bodies, same soul. She was meant to be the original host, so why waste time with all these trivialities?"

"But she still can't use your god's powers. Your out of options, it wouldn't work."

"No, but the _God_ could _never_ be able to harness all of its power, that would be impossible. Being restricted to a bodily form holds us back very much. Why do you think the previous earthly forms of the _God_ were indistinct and weak? It is because your world must create some sort of limit for itself, it must restrain everything. It is not infinite, as we are. The _God_ is much too powerful to exist in a manageably corporeal form. An actual body can support it."

"Then what about this Paradise? A god can't just make a new world if it doesn't have access to all of its power," Abraham said. Valtiel smirked.

"Ah, but that is where you're wrong. The Paradise is already there, although very unstable. Glimpses of it can be seen here, in this town, but that is nothing. The Paradise is not a utopia for you inferiors. It is a realm similar to where beings like me exist, and the _God_ could then exist without the strain of your world upon its being. Humans would be stripped of their pathetic bodies. We could mold everything to how we see fit! We could live in a world that has no limits!"

Abraham glanced around the interior of the building, searching for an avenue of escape. He could feel the beads of sweat coming down his face. He suddenly felt very sickly.

"…And what would happen to us humans? If we lose our bodies, what about our souls?"

"That's simple. Considering a soul bears no memories, but carries them all the same, you would be lost in your memories. You'd lack the physical form to technically exist in this new world. Perhaps some of them might conjure up some type of form to take. You would be lost in a limbo of sorts, more in a comatose-like state than anything."

Christian struggled to fight the bile down. He thought of his parents,-his _adoptive_ parents- his friends, all the people he had ever met… even those cultists that had abducted him not so long ago. He felt so helpless. If he was so important, shouldn't he be able to do _something_…?

"…That's horrible…" he mumbled, drawing himself up to face Valtiel. "You'd disregard all those lives; deny everyone's chance at life? _Why_? Why would you do such a thing?"

"You misunderstand. We have little control over the matter. _You_ humans projected your will onto _us_. You brought this upon yourselves by meddling so fervently. Our realm is gradually consuming yours, in any case. This town will soon be completely assimilated, and then your whole world and then maybe even your reality! And it's all because you inferiors use your twisted logic in such unbelievable ways. However, I act only under a single charge: to awaken _God_. It hardly matters to me what happens in the process."

"_What_?" Abraham practically yelled, glaring at Valtiel. "That was all a prediction? Just_ what is_ your objective, anyway?"

"I cannot be sure. The _God_ is working under its summoners' consciousness. Whatever they desire, it desires. I'm just informing you about what will most likely happen."

Christian and Abraham backed away, the latter inhaling deeply. "But Cheryl Mason isn't even here," he said confidently. "I doubt you can stay in that corpse for long."

At this, Valtiel laughed, crushing nearly all the hope Abraham had of surviving that day. "No, she is heading this way. She is coming here, to Silent Hill. I can feel it. But this is quite a dreary body to inhabit. I plan on using Christian for just a little longer."

"No!" Abraham protested, rushing forward. Quickly Valtiel flashed a hand out and clamped it around the other's throat. He studied the scar on the brunet's face, grinning.

"That scar… I gave it to you, I recall. You blamed Lucas, didn't you?"

"What did … _you expect_? How was I supposed to know some spirit was inhabiting him?"

"Indeed." He fastened his grip and his eyes flared with blood thirst. Christian ground his teeth and threw himself at Valtiel, but he was swiped aside with ease. He yelped and cupped his cheek, glaring daggers at Valtiel, who merely said, "Don't quicken your inevitable death, Christian. Just allow me to eliminate this-,"

Abraham delivered a hard kick to its chest and knocked it back, stumbling down to his feet. He ran for Christian, intending to take him and try to escape. Valtiel was faster. Just as he grabbed Christian's sleeve Valtiel stepped before him and shot his hand out at his throat. Abraham gasped for air, and hands reaching up to claw at it. Valtiel snickered and hit him back a distance with his palm.

Abraham skidded on the wooden floorboards, groaning hoarsely. Lucas' body approached casually. "It is funny, you know, how feebly you humans try to resist your fate. Unfortunately, I cannot begin to relate." It willed the crude spear that impaled Melissa and held it above Abraham's heart, which, by the way, began to race.

"I apologize for this, as I do for the scar as well, but please understand that these are events we cannot control. They are beyond you, and they are beyond me."

"Wait!" Christian exclaimed, shuffling forward. "…What will killing him do for you? Just leave him alone!"

"How altruistic of you, Christian, caring for this man's safety. Tell me, do you know him? Do you know that he was exactly like those others fools that made up that cult. He ran away, but you can never escape your past."

"I don't care!" shouted the blond. "I'm tired of this! I'm tired of all these people getting hurt when there's no need for it!"

Abraham got to his knees, aching all over. Valtiel chuckled and stepped away, picking him up by the collar of his jacket and dragging him across to the exit. He motioned for Christian to follow.

"You were lucky. Now then, I believe we have some guests to attend to."


	40. Aftershock

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Forty: Aftershock_

Approximately one to two hours following Cheryl Mason's departure of the city of Ashfield via an automobile stolen by criminal, "Zeik", the surrounding areas of Silent Hill experienced electrical outages and minor earthquakes. Citizens complained of mild chest pains and burning sensations, and for a short while the towns and counties were in chaos. Ashfield, which had already had several similar disturbances earlier that day, was in even worse condition.

Henry Townshend, who had been on his way to the police station was now stuck in a horrid traffic jam, with the sounds of honking and total chaos surrounding him.

"Shit…" he said to himself, peering out of the window. 'What the hell is going on…? I can't reach Joshua or Eileen, and the radio is useless…' He rubbed his left temple thoroughly, groaning. He had no clue of the terrible events conspiring in Silent Hill at that very moment.

---

Christian stumbled out of the building, eyes irritable and itchy. He felt no air circulating around him as he stood in the middle of the street. There was nothing in any direction aside from fog. Faintly, he thought he heard a distant howling…

"Do you see it, Christian?" Valtiel inquired, dropping Abraham onto the asphalt. "Do you see what will become of your world? This, _this_ is the absolute!"

"…No," choked Abraham. "…You can't… do this…" Lucas' corpse stared down at him.

"I am growing agitated by your constant defiance, Abraham. What is so difficult for you to accept?" It knelt down to his level, moving its face much too close for comfort. "Let me tear away all that resistance, eh?" Valtiel giggled, grasping a handful of Abraham's hair and yanking his head up forcefully.

"There is no "deus ex machina" coming to save you. There is nothing left that can possibly stop this. It was inevitable." It gestured to the surroundings, laughing coldly. "Soon, once your _God_ has awakened… everything will matter not. Your ideas, your emotions, your beliefs… nothing will matter any longer."

Valtiel released his grip and glanced back at Christian. "What about you? Do you understand now?"

"…Understand _what_?" shot back the boy. He gritted his teeth. Already he could feel the tears gathering, ready to fall. "I won't accept this! I won't, _I won't_!" He was unable to keep his composure, and started to cry. Valtiel silently approached him.

"The Carrier of _God_… should not _cry_. You were not meant to feel at all, anyway." With a maniacal grin, it struck Christian across the face. The teenager cried out and immediately both of his hands went up in a vain attempt of defense.

"The _God_ can only be brought to its full potential through pain and torture, correct?" it said, "So, being it my duty to awaken the _God_, I must inflict pain and torture!" It lashed out at Christian again, and then another time. The blond scrambled away and nearly tripped over himself. Valtiel laughed.

"You do understand that Ashfield would have suited the Awakening, I hope. But here… in Silent Hill… the energies are just so much stronger… yes… this is the perfect place for _God_ to awaken!"

"…You're… sick…" spat with Christian, but this only resulted with another devilish laugh from Valtiel.

"No, you are mistaken," replied Valtiel. "I am not the one who is sick; it is you humans! Must I remind you that I am acting under you fools' will! It is you who are _sick_; it is you who brought this upon yourselves!"

It chortled horridly and regarded him with those crimson eyes. "No, I am getting ahead of myself. To help you understand, I'll try to explain in a simpler way. In truth, entities like myself are absent of any thought and emotion. We just exist, as if we are comatose. It is only when we are influenced do we act, and influence them in turn."

"So you don't have any control over yourself?" Christian furrowed his brow. "Don't expect any empathy, if that's what you want."

"I don't, and it isn't. But you are correct, in a way. In fact, perhaps I have no right calling you inferior… but that is also a by-product of our existence. Your human feelings and ideas are etched into us, and we act with them as a guide…" It laughed. "It's horrible. We are nothing, then, and I believe that this _Paradise_ they so wish to create will no more help us than it will you. If everything I predicted is true then, what exactly is it that will exist afterward…? Without you we shan't exist, and then there will be absolutely _nothing_…"

The wind howled around them and silence overtook the town of Silent Hill once again. Abraham giggled in a hysterical way. "Listening to you babble all that convoluted nonsense…" he said peaceably, "I think I get it now, even if all you said is just a hypothesis."

"What do you mean?" Christian asked, confusion gripping him. Valtiel pressed a finger into Lucas' dead flesh over the 'Halo of the Sun' on his forearm.

"I see… by reaching into Lucas' knowledge, I see… if _God_ is really a higher, supreme being, then it-_she_-would be capable of creating a world… _out_ of the nothingness! The world would become a void that is nothing at all, _absolute nothing_, and God would create a Paradise out of it…"

"Exactly," stated Abraham with cold finality. "A utopia, a _paradise_… where everyone would be happy…"

"That wouldn't work!" cried the blond teenager as he got to his feet. "No one would exist! There'd be no life!"

"Unless God creates the life," said Vatliel softly, to itself more than anyone else. It reached into the well of Lucas' knowledge and tittered. "Oh, how amusing! It would be just like how the world began, right?"

"That's…" Abraham sighed thoughtfully. "…What… what _is_ your God?"

Valtiel half-shrugged and smiled. "That is a good question, but I would venture to say that you have a better idea than I. Because isn't it your god as well?"

"No," Abraham began, "I abandoned that dogma quite awhile-,"

An ear-splitting siren cut him short. Christian cried out and slammed his palms over his ears. Abraham did the same. "What is that?" the teenager shouted, and Valtiel clicked his tongue sourly.

"It is the final calling. It seems it is time. Come along." It advanced forward, but Christian remained back.

"…I won't!" he yelled, but Valtiel just looked back at him lazily.

"Enough of this, Christian. You're making this more difficult than it has to be." The demon strode back and took hold of the blond's shirt collar, glaring down at with an expression of disgust. "Pitiful… you are perhaps less than what we are, and yet you wish to cling to this… Heh, I wouldn't even dare call it an _existence_."

"Just shut up!" Christian exclaimed at him, gritting his teeth hatefully. "You don't know anything about me! I'm not just some toy for you… _bastards to play around with_!"

Oddly, Valtiel released him. It scrunched up Lucas' face in confusion and returned its gaze to him. "And to think… that is _God_ speaking… She just doesn't know it…" It laughed and grasped his wrist forcefully, yanking him forward without much care.

Abraham watched, stricken with helplessness. He dashed at Valtiel in a last attempt to stop it. "Let him go!" he spoke with every bit of strength he still had. But like before Valtiel flung him away. However, Christian took advantage of the distraction and broke away. He ran off into the fog. Valtiel made no sign to chase after him, instead lolling his head over in Abraham's direction.

"I have no idea _what_ hole you suddenly crawled out from, Abraham," it said, "but you've hindered things quite a bit. In fact, if this were a story, I wouldn't doubt many of the readers would feel you are nothing but an irritating minor character. You haven't contributed at all to the story, and yet you stand at its last climax, a fly that really needs to be swatted."

Abraham chuckled weakly and rubbed his Adam's apple. "Then I would venture to say that the readers would consider you a pretty weak villain. You don't have any identity, so you steal that of others. And you're just a servant of something even more disgusting, aren't you?"

Valtiel sighed. "I wouldn't know." And with a strike of the hand Abraham was downed.

---

Cheryl Mason slammed on the brakes, nearly forcing everyone to topple over; in fact, Zeik did. "Fuggin' hell!" he screamed, bashing his nose on the seat in front of him. He whined and rubbed it gingerly with his good arm. "Need I remind you Caucasian worms that _I am crippled_?"

"Oh, quit complaining," Joshua said annoyed. "It's your fault for not putting your seat-belt on."

"It's kind of hard," Zeik replied soflty, "when you have one arm _pretty much broken_!"

Meanwhile, Cheryl and Linda had already left the vehicle and were starting into the town. Joshua stepped out carefully with Zeik following him. The brunet teenager began after the two women, but stopped when he heard a quick scurrying behind him. He spun around and witnessed Zeik making a mad dash for the car. Joshua sprang on him and tackled him to the misty ground.

"What the hell is your problem?" he demanded. "Trying to abandon us here?"

"It's not like I wanted to come to this hellhole!" Zeik retorted. "I almost died here once; I'm not in the mood of making a repeat."

"Yeah, whatever, just don't try anything funny. I don't like being here myself, but I think we both pretty much got dragged out here." Joshua placed his hands on his hips and surveyed the scene. "Hey, Ms. Mason!" he called loudly, "Wait up!" He jogged away and Zeik grimaced.

"What the shit am I doing…?" he asked himself apprehensively, slowly going after the others. They went for a bit, entering the town proper. And that's when a siren sounded throughout the town, deafening them.

Out of the fog strode Valtiel, smiling wryly at them. Joshua and Linda eyed him blackly. "Lucas!" Linda said, moving to the front of the others. The corpse shook its head.

"Don't get confused now. Lucas Schreiber is dead, and has been for the last half hour or so, or maybe longer. I'm not all that proficient with gauging time."

"That's crazy," she shot back, staring into his blood-red eyes. She trembled and gasped. "…You couldn't…"

Valtiel pointed at the bullet hole in the center of the forehead and then gestured with an outstretched arm at the many holes littering Lucas' chest and gut. "You can blame your friend Abraham for that one," it said, returning to the bull's-eye in the forehead. "That was the one that killed him."

"Then what are you?" Cheryl demanded blackly, her face and body language unreadable. Valtiel extended both arms out towards the sky, taking in a deep breath.

"I am what I am, and you are what you are, Alessa."

"That's not my name," she spat, immediately becoming defensive.

"Yes it is. It is your _true_ name, such as mine is Xuchilbara."

Linda caught her breath and Cheryl shuddered the tiniest bit. Joshua and Zeik exchanged glances. "Who's Xuchi-what's it?" Zeik asked.

"It's one of the angels of God herself, her right hand, the Red God. It is God's personal attendant basically," Linda answered unconsciously.

"Valtiel," Cheryl greeted with the slightest hint of venom on her tongue. "You were the one speaking through Christian the last time I was here, weren't you? _You_ were the one who prompted Noah to take his own life. You did it. _You did all of it_!"

"Oh no, Alessa," it said, "Firstly, that was only a fraction of my entity speaking at the time, although I was consciously aware of it, and I had hardly anything to do with the whole fiasco between Noah Franklin and his unstable friends.

"It was Lucas who slaughtered the rest of that little group by harnessing my latent powers. He was a fool, having grown much too haughty with what was not his. No, I only took advantage of situation, and now here we are."

Cheryl scowled at Lucas' deathly body. "That doesn't change anything! Where's Christian? I know what you're trying to do, and it's no different than any one of The Order's followers."

Valtiel nodded. "That's true. My duty is to summon God into this realm and ensure its safety. Considering that God _is_ Christian, I believe I have done a better job than those cultists who madly worship it, which is ironic. Of course, Christian is unsuitable for the job of creating this so-called Paradise and granting sinners their retribution and whatnot. As for where he is-,"

Valtiel shrugged passively, "I've lost him. He got away."

"Fine job you're doing," she said spitefully. Joshua scratched his head and approached them both.

"Hold on, whatever's going on, you mean Christian's somewhere is this rat pit? Who knows what God-forsaken shit is wandering around?" He squinted at Valtiel, and then his eyes widened in sudden realization.

"You're that… _thing_ that tried to kill me on the bus! You took over Christian… or _something_!"

Valtiel laughed darkly. "Ah yes, I apologize for that. My essence had suffered quite a stretch. My bloodlust was uncontrollable."

Cheryl didn't bother to try and understand this; it wouldn't matter anymore. "Look, what do you want?"

"You already know, Alessa. Christian is the ultimate key; he is God, only unaware of his true identity. All I need to do is flip that trigger in the far reaches of his mind, and—_poof_—he'll be ready. But you see what it essentially comes down to is that _Christian _isn't right for it, even though he was born to be _it_. So, the Crimson Paragraph details how to _transfer_ his soul—and everything relating to it—into a _maiden_, who would then become God herself and that would be it."

Valtiel grinned. "Now that you have a clear, crisp view of what I am planning, do you understand why _you_ are the perfect host?"

Cheryl grimaced. "…It's because I was the one _originally_ meant for it, and I still am."

"That's _precisely_ right. Christian is something of a by-product. In fact… he was an anomaly. How do you feel about _that_, Christian, the idea that you exist solely because of an accident on Alessa's part?"

Out of the fog behind Valtiel, someone approached them. "Christian!" Joshua and Cheryl exclaimed in unison, and the blond boy glanced at them as he supported Abraham, who was using the teenager's body as a crutch.

"Speak of the devil!" the Red God said while motioning at the boy and man. "Seems Christian and his good friend Abraham have come to join us at last!"

"Abraham! It-," Linda tried to say, but he waved it off.

"Run away, Linda!" Abraham cried. "Take the others with you and get out of here!"

"It's a bit too late for that, Abe," Valtiel said with a chuckle. "This has been drawn out long enough, and now is the time to finish it. Christian!" It held a hand out at the boy. "We are the only ones who can put an end to all this. Come! You have no choice!"

"I'll come," the teenager replied quietly, and everyone gasped. He gently laid Abraham down and absentmindedly clenched and unclenched his fists. He started towards them, past Linda as she went to Abraham's aid and then stopping before Lucas' animated corpse.

"I have to face my destiny sometime," he said, "whether or not I know anything about it."

"Good boy." Valtiel lowered his sleeve and held up the 'Halo of the Sun'. "Reveal yours."

Christian did as he was told, and Valtiel grasped his arm. "Would you mind coming over here, Cheryl? Do it or I sever Christian's arm." Expecting some sort of bodily response from the boy but receiving none, Valtiel frowned. Christian only continued to stare at the imprint on his forearm. It burned and lighted a fiery hue when Cheryl drew near.

"Now…" Valtiel reached into Lucas' jacket and brought out a small glass container filled with a red liquid. It grinned and then plunged a forefinger into Christian's imprint, cutting into the skin. He cringed as Valtiel then uncorked the container and began to pour its contents into the cut.

Christian screamed in agony and gritted his teeth. Steam rose from the cut, and he collapsed to his knees. Valtiel held up his arm, continuing to press into the symbol.

"Miss Mason, do something!" Joshua yelled, but his teacher only glanced in his direction. She slowly began to fish around in her own jacket for something…

"If it's a gun you're trying to get, Alessa," Valtiel said, "you can dismiss the notion. You can destroy Lucas' body but you're unable to kill me."

"_Don't do anything_!" Christian ordered, blood starting to seep through his teeth and down his chin. "I'll hold out for as long as I can, _but you have to wait_!"

"What are you-," Cheryl began, but a siren pierced the air. Everyone smothered their ears besides Christian and Valtiel, and the demon glared at the boy.

"Impossible! How are you doing this? _You're incapable_!" Christian only met his gaze and then dipped his own forefinger into the plasma that was running down his arm. He pressed that finger into the mark on Lucas' arm, and Valtiel emitted an odd, gurgled noise from deep within Lucas' throat. "You can't… _this is supposed to subdue you once it enters your bloodstream_…!"

Christian pressed down harder. "_I'm not doing this_!" he shouted back and the veins in Lucas' arm began to rupture. As they imploded streams of dark blood flew out. The sirens grew louder and the sky darkened. The street gave way suddenly, and the asphalt disintegrated at an alarming rate.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, _NO_!" Zeik whined as he sobbed. "Not again with this!"

Joshua groaned. "Oh, stop being such a pu-," He was cut short when the street broke in two, stranding the others on the opposite side. Linda helped Abraham to his feet and made for that side as the center of the road cracked and dove forward. Christian, Cheryl, and Valtiel were stranded there.

"Miss Mason, grab Christian and come on!" screamed Joshua, but she only looked at him and threw her spare handgun at him. He fumbled with it and nearly dropped it, but held on in the end.

"Take it, Joshua, you'll need it more than I will! Try to get out of here!"

"_But what about you_?" he questioned, and she turned back to Valtiel and Christian.

"I'll be fine! _Get going_!"

Then that portion of the street crumpled inward and they were gone.

---

Grime and rust and blood. That was all they saw as they trudged along that lonely main road towards nowhere and somewhere. Silent Hill had entered what a man named Harry Mason would've called the Otherworld, a "place of someone's nightmarish delusions come to life". Except these weren't someone's nightmarish delusions come to life. This was a product of the Awakening.

---

Joshua could only stare at the firearm as they traveled, could only marvel at how it felt in his hands. He carefully tucked it away in his denim jacket.

"This reminds me of that movie, _The Fog_, or something like that," Zeik remarked quietly. "But the fog's gone and it's too dark to see anything so I'll just say it reminds me of a movie called, _The Town where it's too dark to see anything_. There, that should work!"

"Hey, what's-your-name, have you ever been laid?" Joshua asked him seriously. Zeik fixed him with a cold, hard stare.

"What does _that _have to do with anything?" Zeik shot back, but he stroked his chin thoughtfully and added, "...If you really want to know there was this blonde chick that gave me a ride the other day…"

"Really?" Joshua stopped and chuckled. "Sorry, I just don't see how a girl could withstand your constant babbling." He shrugged and kept on going ahead of them, and Zeik fumed.

"Oh yeah, well what about _you_, you little underage-minor gnat?"

Without looking back, Joshua replied, "Well, as a matter-of-fact, there are these two girls at my school. One of them is a redhead and is a bit mentally unstable, and the other's blonde and sort of straight-laced, but she's cool." He stopped and ran a hand through his hair. "You know, they wouldn't really appreciate me saying that about them, but they're not here anyway…"

"Do you mind if we rest for a minute?" Abraham asked, and Joshua looked at him and Linda.

"Sure, that's fine." He looked at Zeik. "Hey, go find us"—he quickly though of something—"some vodka or whatnot and hurry back here."

Zeik laughed curtly. "I don't think so, you stupid kid. If anyone's going to go fetch supplies, it's _you_. Let's not forget who dragged who into this mess."

"Yeah, you dragged yourself into it."

Silence.

"Well I'm still not going."

"I have a gun."

"You don't have the acorns to shoot it."

"You won't _have_ acorns if you don't go get that vodka, _fo sho_."

Zeik made a funny hand gesture at him and then went back to sit beside Linda and Abraham. Joshua narrowed his eyes at him. "What are you doing? I told you to go get that vodka!"

"…Pee off…" Zeik mumbled as he hugged himself and lay down on his side. Joshua laughed.

"Sure! _On you_!" He then joined them and let out a deep sigh. "Sorry guys, but lead-head here won't go get us some vodka and fish-and-chips so we'll have to rough it until we find the way out of here."

Linda shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. "I don't understand any of this… It's all so wrong…"

Abraham hesitantly put an arm around her shoulders. "It's all right Linda. None of you are experiencing any pains, are you?"

They all shook their heads, and Linda moved closer to him very subtly.

"Alright," he said, and then cast his gaze at Joshua. "You're the one carrying the gun, Joshua, so what would you like to do?"

"Nothing," the brunet responded. "If anything, we have to go look for Miss Mason and Christian. But first, I want some information. You've got to know what the hell's happening around here."

Abraham nodded. "Of course, but I'm sorry to say I don't have a clue as to what's happening _now_. The Crimson Paragraph never said anything about _this_."

"Do you think…_God_ was born?" Linda asked him, and Abraham shrugged.

"I guess it's possible. Who knows what would happen when it's born. Not even Valtiel knew, and he was the one with the information. The information that belonged to Lucas, but it doesn't make a difference now."

Joshua crossed his arms. "Is that Valet _thing_, is he dead, do you think?"

"Maybe," Abraham said. "The Aglaophotis is supposedly lethal to beings of his sort, and if it didn't kill him it probably ejected him out of Christian's body."

"And what about Christian?"

The man sighed. "I can't say. He seemed to be able to fight it, but since he wasn't possessed—but rather the entity himself—it's possible it killed him. I'm not saying it _did_, but I don't want to give you false hopes."

"No, I get you." Joshua lay down on his back and looked up at the sky. "There aren't any stars in the sky…"

"That's the Paradise they want," Abraham stated. "They want a place where you can't look up at the stars at night."

---

Cheryl woke up inside a place she instantly recognized. "Shit…" she mumbled. The church. She stood up and found herself in the aisle of pews, the altar right before her. Splayed out on top of it was Lucas Schreiber's body. And beyond that, on the wall, hung Valtiel, its faceless head staring at her and shaking violently.

"You…" she said, finally noticing the horrible condition of the church. "_No_… It _turned_…" She faced Valtiel again, but it was descending into some sort of hole in the floor. She raced over to the other side of the altar and peered down into the blackness, but saw nothing. Aside from a ladder.

"I'm coming Christian, just try to hold on. I won't let you die now, not after all of this." She crouched down and began to go down the ladder.

---

What was left behind by the street was a sticky, grime-covered grating that was horrible rusted. Already there'd been several trips and falls. It was made even more difficult by the fact they had hardly any light to go by.

"Watch your footing," Abraham muttered as they slowly stepped over an exceptionally large gap in the street. Ahead of them, something had come into view.

"Wait," he said, and they stopped. Zeik's whimpered.

"It's that damn red-pyramid-thing again!" and Joshua gulped rather hard.

"Didn't it die when you used that bomb?" the teenager asked Zeik, who only shrugged. The pyramid head had started to approach them, and in his hand was a long, lightweight, wooden spear.

"It's invulnerable to bullets," Joshua said.

"And poorly-fashioned stools," Zeik added.

"Yeah."

"What do we do, then?" Linda breathed. "It'll kill us if we try to run around it. And who knows how far it could throw that thing…"

"I think we're about to about to find out…" said Joshua as the pyramid head reared back and launched the spear at them. They split to the sides, two to each one. Joshua drew the handgun. "We have to distract it somehow!" he exclaimed, even though he stared at the weapon as if he had never laid eyes on one before.

"No, wait, Joshua!" Abraham called, but the teenager had already started firing at the demon. The bullets ripped through its bloody skin, but it had received virtually no damage whatsoever. It yanked the spear out of the grating and turned its attention to Joshua.

"Joshua, use your blood!" Abraham said. "Hurry, before it attacks again!"

'_My blood_?' Joshua thought incredulously, but he hurriedly rolled out of the way as the pyramid head stabbed at him. The tip of the spear caught the fabric of his jacket, holding him in place. He yelped in surprise and turned on his side to see the demon advancing upon him.

"_Joshua_!" Abraham screamed once more, and the boy's eyes wandered over to his bandaged left hand.

"…_Damn it_!" he yelled and dragged his hand across the rough, jagged grating. The bandage tore apart and his weak flesh went with it. He screamed as his skin opened and blood splattered out. "_Shit_!" He ran his palm over the barrel and over the space, pulled it back, and squeezed the trigger. The bullet sailed out, took the tiniest bit of Joshua's blood with it, and buried itself within the pyramid head's hide.

The creature froze, and then made an odd noise. It flailed wildly and then fell to the ground, trembling terribly. It went still after a minute or so, and then Abraham and Linda hurried over to Joshua's side.

"Are you all right?" she asked, and he nodded stiffly.

"…Yeah, but my hand-,"

She ripped off a piece of her blouse's sleeve and quickly wrapped it around the wound. She tied the knot as best she could and helped him up. "That's the only thing we can do for it now, but you should be fine."

"I hope so…" he murmured while gazing at the pyramid head's corpse. "Abraham, what was that?"

"I don't know," he answered. "It might be a memory of the town."

"Memory?"

"Yes, manifested by someone who came here and then left to rot. It was probably just acting out of some type of orders when it came across us."

"Orders…" Joshua shrugged and got to his feet. "Let's keep moving."

---

For Christian Silent Hill had not changed. Or perhaps it had, but there was no way of knowing. When he awoke, the fog was gone and the sky was clear. He sat up and unconsciously ran his hand over the grass that he was sitting on.

"It's so soft," he said to himself, and then suddenly recalled what had happened. He looked about himself but saw no one, only a field and a forest nearby. Down the hill where he was he could see what could only be the observation deck overlooking Toluca Lake.

Christian pulled up his sleeve and saw that the 'Halo of the Sun' was gone. He rubbed that spot of his forearm, as if expecting the mark to reappear at a moment's notice. But reappear it did not.

"His influence on you is gone," sounded a female voice from behind him. Christian turned around and saw a girl, not all that much younger than he was, wearing a blue dress. He gaped at her.

"M-Miss Mason?" he said, bewildered. The girl shook her head and sat down beside him.

"No. My name is Alessa."

"Alessa…" He stared at her. "You're the girl that's in my dreams! The one…" he trailed off and sighed. "Alessa, where am I? I mean, where are _we_?"

"I don't know where you are _really_, Christian, but right now you're sleeping. This is the only way we can really speak to each other."

"You mean I'm dreaming?" he asked, ignoring the fact she had known his name.

"Yes, or perhaps "dreaming" is too simple a word for it. "You're awake, but just not _there_. You're comatose, just like I had been so long ago…" She looked at the grass and hugged her legs. Christian gazed at her sadly.

"Alessa, why do I feel as if I know you? We've… never met before. And you look so much like Miss Mason… Are you the same person, just older?"

"You could say that, at least in terms of appearance. Cheryl isn't me, and I'm not Cheryl. She's her own person. I was her once, that's all."

"You mean she's like your reincarnation?" Christian, for some reason, felt good. _Very _good. He felt that by talking to this person, he was _complete_.

"I suppose she is." Alessa looked into his eyes and smiled. "She's your mother, your _actual_ mother."

"My mother…" He raised his hands to his face and frowned. "It's because I'm their god, right? I don't have the god's _soul_ in me like that Blackheart man said, I'm really the _god_. But that's impossible… I don't have powers or anything like that!"

"You don't need powers, Christian." She took his hand in her own. "You're a person, not a god, but they'll never realize that. That's not important, though. What is important is that you understand that you're _Christian Richards_, not any type of god or deity or demon. It's not up to them, it's up to _you_."

He looked away from her and down at the lake. "Then what am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to stop this?"

Alessa shook her head. "I don't have the answer to that. When the time comes, Christian, you have to find that out yourself." She stood up and he stood with her. She nodded towards the woods. "Are you in the mood for a walk?"

"…S-Sure." She wasn't overly attractive, but he found her beautiful.

They walked in silence into the forest, hand-in-hand. They stopped in a wide area, where a gigantic boulder resided. Alessa patted its smooth but rough surface. "The natives who lived here before we came called it the 'Mother Stone'."

"The Mother Stone…" Christian muttered as he ran his hand over it, and then something crossed his mind. "Hey, Alessa?"

"Yes?"

"If Miss Mason is really my mother, then what does that make you? Would you also be my mother?"

She smiled at him again, and that smile was enough to make him forget what he'd just said. "Like I told you Christian, Cheryl and I are two different people. Once we were the same, but that was a long time ago."

"Oh…" Christian giggled. "I think a part of me wanted you to be my mother, Alessa."

She didn't respond to this, only continuing to smile. She took his hand again and led him on. Soon enough, they came across what seemed like the burned-down remains of a large building. Children's toys were dotted the ground.

"This is where all the children would stay," she told him solemnly. "I didn't live here, even though I had to visit every so often. I hated coming."

"I don't like it either," Christian said. "It feels so cold and lonely."

"That's the way I feel exactly. This wasn't a place for children." She stared at the charred wood and then moved away.

They deviated from the main path and wandered into the trees, admiring certain bushes or trees. At least Christian did. Alessa only smiled that smile and looked on. She'd seen these flowers and trees before at some point in her life.

"Christian, I'm going to have to go."

"What?" He got up from his squat beside a bush and faced her.

"I have to go. I can't stay here with you for much longer."

This took some time to register in his mind. Her presence had offered him a type of refuge from all that was happening. And now she was leaving. "No, you _can't_ leave," he said. "If you do, I don't know what will happen…"

"You'll be alright, Christian, there's no need to worry. And it's not like I'm leaving you forever. I'm always there with you, even if you don't think I am."

"But, Alessa, I think… I think I'm falling in love with you…"

She stroked his cheek. "No you're not," she said softly, and he touched her hand. She pulled away and smiled at him a last time before turning away and walking away into the fog that seemed to have formed.

"Will I see you again?"

She looked back at him and said, "Of course you will, Christian." And then she was gone.

He sighed and idled there for a few moments, staring at his shoes. Then he heard a scuffling nearby, and an orange glow in the distance.

'It's a fire… Someone is camping here…' He began to make his way towards the light, brushing foliage away and stepping over protruding roots. He stopped in front of a clearing and saw two people gathering firewood. They seemed vaguely familiar. One was male and the other female and the male had long, carrot-colored hair on his head. They were both wearing denim jeans, although the girl's pair was black. They both also wore heavy jackets.

"How many… pieces have you gotten… Catherine?" the redhead inquired as he added another stick to his pile.

"Uh… I'm dropping one each time you pick one up, Lexy!" Catherine said as she looked up at a tree.

"…Really?" Alexis turned to her and she turned to him, and he let the whole pile of wood drop from his arms. Her eyebrows rose in surprise.

"What'd you do that for?" she asked lightly as he approached her. She gasped as he pressed her up against the tree and looked into his face with the stupidest of smiles on. "What are you doing, Alexis?"

He dipped his head in towards her and inhaled deeply beside her short, blonde hair. "…Sometimes I shiver when I look at you… and sometimes I feel an urge to take you into my arms… but you know what?"

"…_What_?" she asked dumbly with huge eyes, and her firewood pieces started to slip out of her arms.

"Oh… it's just that _all_ of the time I find you to be the most idiotic person on the planet."

There was a long, drawn out pause, and then Catherine grimaced. "…What a way to ruin the mood, Alexis."

He back away and bent down to collect the wood. "You mean… you wouldn't mind if I took you by force?"

"I wouldn't resist." A giggle followed it.

He closed his eyes and chuckled and they quickly re-gathered the firewood before starting toward the campsite. Christian followed after them.

At the campsite were two other people he recognized much better. They were Melissa and Noah, dressed in a similar fashion to Alexis and Catherine. 'They died, though,' Christian thought as he watched from afar. 'Maybe this is where they go when they die… maybe _I'm_ dead…'

Alexis and Catherine joined them, sitting beside each other and across from the other pair, although closer together. "Oh, you brought quite a bit!" Melissa commented as they let the pile fall a few feet away.

"You couldn't have been bothered to do it a little faster, though, right?" Noah teased as Alexis chucked several pieces into the fire. Catherine stuck out her tongue and threw a twig at him. Noah caught it in one hand and examined it briefly.

"How long has it been since we were like this?" he asked them, and it took them all except for Melissa aback.

"Too long," she replied, and smiled kindly at him. He returned it, although it was hardly as noticeable as hers. Melissa saw it just fine, however. "Oh, I brought marshmallows! It's been even longer since we've had these, right?"

"Oh goody!" Catherine said, clapping her hands together. She distributed the sticks and Melissa passed out the marshmallows, and they all began to hold their marshmallows over the flames.

Christian advanced forward out of the woods and into the space, his eyes locked on the fire. "I haven't had roasted marshmallows since I was a little kid," he thought aloud, and they all looked up at him with a bit of shock. They stared at each other for some time, until Noah spoke up.

"…Would you like to join us?" he invited, and Melissa gazed at him affectionately. The blond teenager searched for words to say, but finally only nodded.

"I'd like that, sure." He sat down near the pile of wood and took a stick of his own, and Melissa handed him a marshmallow. He impaled with the stick and held it over the wood anxiously.

As he admired the stars up in the night sky, Melissa ventured a question. "What are you doing out here?"

He brought his gaze down to her and sighed. "I don't know, to tell you the truth. I'm a bit lost."

"Lost?" Catherine murmured to herself. "Yep, I guess this place is kind of lost-y…"

"It's already nighttime?" Christian questioned, and they nodded.

"It has been for awhile," Alexis answered, and they all pulled their marshmallows back. As they began to munch on them, Christian removed his from the stick and placed it in his hand.

"What are you guys doing out here, anyway?" They all contemplated this, but in the end it was Noah who shrugged.

"I'm not sure _why_," he replied, "but I doubt that it matters. Do you understand what I mean?"

Christian created a small circle in the dirt with his stick. "I'm not sure I do. I think I need some more time to think it over before I wake." He stood up and stretched. "If it's alright with you guys, I'm going to go keep on walking. I'll keep this as a snack."

"Be careful," Melissa advised, and he nodded. He waved at them and they waved at him as he walked off into the forest, towards nowhere and somewhere.

---

Cheryl touched down from the ladder and turned around to glimpse ahead of her at the long corridor. On the walls, torches were placed at regular intervals, and a great chamber rested at where the corridor ended. She made her way towards it.

On the floor of the chamber was painted an enormous 'Halo of the Sun', but the inner circle had been replaced by the 'Seal of Metatron'. In that circle lay Christian, and hanging off the wall beyond him was Valtiel. The room started to darken.

"_What have you done to him_?" she demanded, and the voice that responded wasn't a voice at all.

'_The Aglaophotis has had its predicted effect on him... and now you have come, Alessa. Come closer…'_

"I won't let you go through with this!" she exclaimed, but within her mind Valtiel chortled. "Christian, wake up! _Wake up_!"

'_You cannot awaken him, Alessa,'_ Valtiel informed her. _'You are out of options.'_

"No… No, that's not true! Christian, just wake up!" The boy did not stir at all. He breathed at a steady rate, but he was deeply asleep. She looked at Valtiel and heard his chortle once more, and then she couldn't handle it any longer. She ran into the pentacle.


	41. The Abyss

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Chappy Forty One: The Abyss_

When Christian left the forest behind him and walked on what appeared to be a highway, he saw himself at the other end of it.

"Hello?" he called out and it turned around to face him.

"…_HELLLOOOO_!" it screamed, and in that instant its face deteriorated into grayness, its eyes liquefying into blood and spilling out of the eye sockets as the rest of the orifices on the face did the same. Christian gasped in disgust and horror and turned to run, but found himself face-to-face with it again, except for the fact it resembled him again, not that appalling mess of black and red.

"Who are you?"

"I'm you."

"No you're not."

"Then what am I?" The other Christian then suddenly grinned sickly and eyed him from head-to-toe. "…Are you _afraid_ of me…?" It hopped up to him and shoved its fingers in his face, all the while moaning in a frightening-mock-fashion. The real Christian backed away and it stopped, lolling its head around quizzically.

"What, what, _what_?" it said in-between a laugh. "You _are _afraid!" It jumped up-and-down in a circle around him, jabbing its forefingers at him rapidly. "Brave little Chris _is_ afraid! But of what? _But of what_?"

The thing stopped its inane antics and pointed at him. "Of _himself_, of course, of _himself_. The only thing you fear, Christian is yourself."

"…What are you?" Christian inquired, and it shrugged.

"I am everything and everyone, or at least I _can_ be." The thing laughed and began circling him again. "I can be anyone,"—the visage of Christian disappeared and in its place was Joshua—"anything,"—now it took the form of Cheryl Mason—"any word,"—Lucas—"or any idea." It became Alessa and then stared into his eyes.

"…And perhaps I can even be _you_." Alessa melted into the form of Christian again, and the thing broke into a fit of giggling. "So then, Christian, what do you think?"

"I don't know. What am I _supposed_ to think? And besides, you still haven't answered my question."

The thing sobbed and mimicked wiping tears from its eyes with balled fists. "Oh, _boohoo, _I haven't answered brave little Christian's question… Except that I have, just not in a form you find satisfying enough."

Christian sighed. "Well, do you at least know where we are?"

"You mean where _you_ are? Of course I do, you're nowhere currently."

"Nowhere? What does _that_ mean?"

The thing shrugged and then gestured around at the surroundings. "Where's the forest that you came out from, by the way? Do you see it, by any chance?"

Christian took a look around and did not see the forest anywhere. They were still on that highway, but a number of rundown vehicles had taken up residence along the sides. The thing smirked and looked from side-to-side. "Per_fect_! We can have some, you know, privacy or whatever." The apparition let out a chilly breath and hugged itself. Its teeth chattered relentlessly.

"Are you cold?" it asked, and Christian shook his head uncertainly while it rubbed its palms together. "Eh, well I am. Come on, come on, and give us a fire." It snapped its fingers several times consecutively, but nothing happened. Frowning, it did it again, and between them in the middle materialized a small campfire. "Brilliant!" the thing exclaimed, and then went down to sit by it. "I brought marshmallows too." It flashed Christian a creepy smile.

Christian reluctantly joined it and set his elbows upon his knees. "So, what do you want to know, Christian? I won't answer your questions but I'll humor you. You know, give you a shoulder to cry since you're so emotionally unstable that I find it ridiculous.

"Is there any specific person you'd like me to take the form of? A girl? How about that Nicole Sunderland? She seems very attractive. If I was you I would've made a move on her. I told you I was you, remember? So you're probably wondering, "Wait a minute…", but I'm not you right now, because I'm _Nicole_!"

And it was true. The thing resembled the girl perfectly. Every detail was exact up to the stray freckle on her cheek. "What would you like, Christian? I can make her a tad bustier, get rid of that freckle, heck, even give you a little _smooch_! How-,"

"Enough!" Christian bellowed angrily, and at the sound of his voice the fire died out and the thing surveyed him with disapproval. It stuck out its tongue at him and stood up, turning away and pacing around.

"…I try to help, and look what happens… No one _appreciates_ anything anymore." Nicole was gone now, and Joshua had taken her place. It avoided eye-contact with him and tapped its chin thoughtfully while looking at the clouded sky.

Christian sighed discouragingly. "I just want some answers. Am I dead? Am I asleep?"

"La-la-la, la-la-_laaaaa_…"

"Hey!"

"What? Oh, well I already told you I'm not going to be giving you any answers."

Christian gritted his teeth. "Then what do you want with me? Are you that _Valtiel_ thing?"

The thing met his gaze and let its tongue slip out of its mouth. "Xuchilbara? Are you _serious_? We're totally different; how could you even _think_ that?"

"You're all the same to me, whatever you are," the teenager replied, and the thing laughed at that.

"You think I'm the _same _as them?" Joshua became someone Christian had never seen before: an overweight young man wearing a striped shirt and shorts. His ball cap was on backwards. "I'm something _TOTALLY_ different!" It mimicked firing a handgun with its right hand. "_BANG-BANG, YOU STUPID DOG, BANG-BANG_!"

The man changed into a teenage girl wearing a white vest and a green skirt. It tugged at its short, blonde hair and kept on with its cackling. "_This was how her hair was when she dyed it blonde_! Pretty snazzy, don't you think?" It ceased its laughter and grinned.

"Okay…" Christian muttered at a loss of words, "What are you then, if you're not like that Valtiel?"

"What am I…?" The thing outstretched its arms to him. "I am the Dweller, and the Dweller is you, Christian. The Incubus. I am you, and you are me."

The blond shook his head. "I don't understand what you're saying."

The thing shrugged and winked at him. "I doubted you would, so I'll try and explain it better via the second half of the Crimson Paragraph:

'…_From the Abyss rises a great turmoil and the Maiden slumbers…_

_Thee who receive the Crimson One, the Controller, shall face judgment._

_The Carrier sleeps and dreams… of the one who Dwells within him._

_Receive the Dweller, for he shall Awaken and grant you they cherished salvation from the absence of Paradise…'_

"I didn't write that, by the way, it just so happens that I know all. So, do you have a better understanding now, _do you_?"

Christian shrugged. "Are you… that God? The one I'm supposed to be?"

The Dweller rolled his eyes and silently shook his arms angrily. "_No_! I'm not the _God_!" it cried, and Christian reeled back in surprise. Its face went through a series of expressions before forming a forced smile. "_You_ are the God, and while I am you I am _not_ the God. Contradictory, I know, but I wasn't the one who made up the rules. In fact, the rules just kind of—_poof_!—and they're there." It emphasized this point by releasing its fist quickly and whistling weakly.

"…I can't whistle," Christian said, and the Dweller nodded, changing its form from the teenage Cheryl back to Christian's image.

"Well, of course—I am everything you are not, and together we are the same being. I suppose you could say I _am_ the God, because I am the part of you that _makes_ you the God. I possess all the memories and knowledge of the town of Silent Hill as well as whatever knowledge you hold."

It giggled and walked up to him, propping an elbow on his shoulder. "But don't worry about that, since very soon we're going to be one, tight as peanut butter-and-jelly."

Christian jerked away and grimaced. "I don't want any part of this, whatever-you-are. Even if you're not the similar to Valtiel, you're all the same in my eyes."

The Dweller made a _tsk-tsk_ noise and sighed. "Why is it always _the same_ with you people? You're always resisting what is obviously better for you!"

"No, it's not better for me, or anyone else. I refuse to succumb to you because there are people waiting for me on the other side, people who love me and that I love in return."

The Dweller changed into a young nurse with sandy-blonde hair and started to laugh heavily. Christian took a few steps forward. "Yeah, laugh it up—I pity you, because you'll never have the opportunity to understand what love is!"

It wiped away some tears and brushed back some stray strands of hair. "I'll pass, thank you very much."

The teenager turned away. "Of course, you don't see the sense in it. You don't have a heart, that's the problem."

"Oh, I do too have a heart, _don't be mad_," the Dweller teased as its appearance changed to that of a young woman wearing a white sweater with short, black hair. "What _you_ don't understand about your so-called "_feelings_" and "_emotions_" is that they aren't real, just like my humor isn't. They all stem from our thoughts, and it is only because we think we love that we are. How can you _know_ that they're real? Tell me _that_, oh-great-and-wise-one."

"I don't have the answer to that, but it doesn't matter. I won't do what you want me to do."

"Yes you will, Christian," the Dweller said. "You don't have any choice. One way or another, the Crimson Paragraph _is_ going to be fulfilled."

"No, I'll stop you!"

"_You can't_!" the thing roared. "_Don't you understand_? Here you can do _nothing_! You cannot fight, you cannot resist, you cannot cry for help! Whether it is by force or other means, _the Crimson Paragraph shall be fulfilled_!"

---

The instant Cheryl entered the boundaries of the pentacles, she was trapped. An invisible barrier had formed around its edges the moment her body moved through its space. She felt it and spun around just as the pentacle sealed itself.

_'And now you have played into my hands, Alessa,' _Valtiel told her coolly. _'How convenient. Now you can sleep and dream…'_

"Damn you!" Cheryl yelled, and she then turned her attention to the boy at her feet. "Christian, wake up! Wake up, wake up, goddamn you!" She even slapped him several times very hard, but still he did not stir. "Why do you have to sleep every time you end up here? _Why can't you just wake up_?" she screamed and squeezed her eyes shut as magenta flames shot up from around the pentacle. Valtiel chortled and Cheryl slammed her palms over her ears to block it all out…

…_Dad… Daddy…_

When she opened her eyes, everything _was_ gone. It was pure grayness, spanning all directions. Smothering her. _Killing_ her.

"Miss Mason?" She looked up and it wasn't just grayness any longer; she was hunkering on a deserted highway. A sign nearby read: **Pleasant River 73 County**. She stood up and saw who had called her.

"Christian!" she exclaimed in bewilderment as he stared at her in the same fashion. "How- Where-,"

"So if it isn't Mommy!" the Dweller said. "What a pleasure for you to join us! And right when the fireworks were about to start!"

"…Christian?" she asked, for its appearance had differed once again. The Dweller shook its head.

"_Christian_?" It twirled around and threw its arms out gracefully. "Oh yes, I _love_ to help everyone! Let's all talk about our _feelings_ and cry on each other! No, sorry, try again. Here, I'll give you a hint: we've met before on quite a few occasions, you just never knew it." It laughed and shrugged. "Who do you want to see again, Alessa? Harry Mason? I'll take his form _just for you_."

"What the hell are you talking about? Who _are_ you?"

"He's nobody, Miss Mason," Christian said gravely as he pulled her back. "We have to get out of here."

"I told you that _you can't_!" the Dweller boomed, and he shook his right hand in silent fury. "Don't you _get it_, you fool? Here is where I rule! I am not restrained by your petty emotions like I am on the other side! And so, just because I cannot harm _you_ doesn't mean I can't harm _her_."

"No, please don't!" Christian protested, but Cheryl was already crumpling to the ground, clutching her head in the most horrible pain she had ever experienced. It was excruciating—not only was the physical strain unbearable but the _emptiness_ within her grew and grew. She could barely make out the form of the Dweller hopping up-and-down in front of her, laughing wildly.

"_DADDY, DADDY, COME SAVE ME_!" it shouted in-between its fits of laughter and it took her face into its hands. "Daddy's _dead_! Dead, dead, _DEAD_! **_HE'S DEAD_**!" Cheryl screamed so loudly that if there _was_ anyone in that place of nowhere and somewhere, they themselves would've cried.

…

_"Daddy, I made for you."_

_"What is it, sweetie? Ah…it's beautiful. I'll keep it forever. Huh? Honey, why are you crying?"_

_"… I don't know, Daddy!"_

_"Okay, I will. I love you too, Dad."_

…

"Miss Mason!" Christian exclaimed as he shook her by the shoulders. Her eyes were wide open, sticky with tears, but she was completely silent. "Miss Mason…?" The Dweller crouched beside her on the opposite side of Christian and crossed his arms and puckered his lips.

"I think I overdid it a little," it said calmly before breaking into another one of its giggle fits. Christian closed his eyes and clenched his fists, slowly rising to his feet.

"…What did you do to her you _sadistic_-,"

"Sadistic _what_?" the Dweller said. It laughed. "I hope you understand that by calling me something vulgar you're calling yourself something vulgar. Hah, you're _pathetic_!"

"No, you bring her back _right now_!" Christian yelled, and the Dweller chortled.

"Or _what_?"

"_I'll kill you_!"

"You can't and even if you could you wouldn't be able to." It shrugged nonchalantly. "Stop being such a party-pooper. Her head went _pop_! That's all there is to it. No one's left to help you, so just give up and I can take control and put into her empty, little head. Then we can make Paradise and all that jazz, since it's your destiny."

"I don't want this destiny… I couldn't have been meant to hurt people like this…"

The Dweller shook its head. "What a _pansy_! _Listen_, casualties are to be expected. Not everyone gets their happy ending; some people don't even get close. You just have to suck it up and take it all in stride."

Cheryl's fingers twitched suddenly. Christian reared back and the Dweller furrowed his brow. "That can't be…" it muttered as she blinked her eyes and gradually sat up. She glanced up at it and Christian before standing and facing the thing.

"Leave this place, Christian. I'll handle this." She smiled at him reassuringly and he gasped.

"_Alessa_?"

"_The witch_?" The Dweller chuckled curtly. "Well, well, what _not_ a surprise. I should have expected you to spring up some time, but forget about it. Whatever you plan on doing, it's not going to work. Christian and I are one; if you harm me who knows what effect it'll have on him."

"No, Christian won't be affected by this, I assure you."

"Are you so confident about it?" It shrugged again. "Eh, do want you want. I killed you once and I'll kill you _again_!" It spread its arms out and inhaled deeply. Alessa backed away but held her ground, and Christian watched it all with uncertainty.

---

"No _way_!" Joshua exclaimed vehemently as he stood over the edge of the ruined street. A magnificent gap lay before him, and on the other side was the remainder of the road. "There's no way to the other end. Damn it! We walk so far and now we're stuck!"

"Well, who wants a chocolate doughnut?" Zeik asked in all seriousness. Joshua ran a hand through his hair and walked back to their small group.

"We'll just have to hope that Miss Mason makes it out with Christian, wherever they are," he said. "Though who knows?"

"I have confidence they'll make it," Abraham said. "It's no use being pessimistic about it. Valtiel is a dangerous foe, but as long as they escape we're fine." As he said this the siren sounded again. They all tensed up, for the darkness surrounding them had become thicker.

"What do you think this means?" Joshua inquired, but Abraham said nothing. Below them the metal grating groaned. "Wait a second-," It fell inwards, and Joshua barely had time to grasp the edge of the jutting metal with his wounded hand. He winced and yelped, but held fast. Zeik was clinging to Joshua's right arm.

"Oh, we're so _screwed_!"

"_Shut up_!" Joshua yelled as he tried to pull the other man up, but he was just too heavy with the use of one arm. "Could you guys try and help us here?" he asked loudly, slowly beginning to dip into the gap. Abraham gave a single glance at Linda before amazingly leaping to the other side. He dove for them and caught Joshua's hand, careful not to press into the wound. He took hold of his forearm and pulled with all his might. With one powerful tug Joshua stumbled over him and Zeik managed to pull himself up as well.

"…Are you two okay?" Abraham asked, breathless. The brunet teenager nodded and Zeik laughed merrily.

"Of _course _we're okay, _hyuk-hyuk-hyuk_!" and then he glared angrily at the two of them. "Can we just leave?"

"Not yet," Joshua answered. "We can't leave them behind. No, not here."

---

The first thing that happened involved the highway itself. It twisted in-and-out, bending itself this way and that. Oddly, the three of them did not stumble or fall, but rather were _pulled_ to the road as if some type of force was keeping them glued to the highway. Not that there was anywhere to fall _to_, mind you, but that was the problem.

"I'm sure you know that in this place of nowhere and somewhere it is not wise to use your abilities. This place reacts to those energies much more than that of the other side," the Dweller informed Alessa as it stood upside-down on the hanging road.

"I'm aware of that," Alessa replied from within Cheryl's body, and behind her Christian watched on in awe.

'This is it. Everything that's happened amounts to this one moment!' he thought as the highway trembled with such ferocity that chunks of it drifted off into the gray abyss below, above, and all around them. The Dweller smirked and its coat—a duplicate of the one Christian was wearing—swayed around it impressively.

"You first, Alessa. I'll humor you before I send you into that abyss where I sent Miss Mason just before you arrived."

"I'll be the one sending _you _there," she said, "and then I'll bring Cheryl _back_."

"Right, right. Hurry up with it, will you?" She let out a deep breath and focused. Everything stopped in that instant, and the Dweller cringed; its hands shot up to its head and its eyes swiveled in their sockets as they began to bleed. It roared an inhuman screech and fell to its knees. Alessa staggered forward and clutched her own head.

"Alessa, Alessa!" Christian said as he ran to her. "Alessa, are you all right?"

"…Yes, I'm fine," she responded quietly. Her head was buzzing. He helped her to her feet and they saw the Dweller rising. Tears of blood were present on its face, and it laughed a truly insane laugh. Its eyes, bloodshot, widened while their pupils shrunk. It grinned, displayed its teeth.

"Not bad, not bad, _not bad_!" it cackled. "I really doubted you'd be able to scathe me _A-LESS-A_! _BUT_ _NOW IT'S MY TURN_!" What left its mouth now was a disgusting, garbled mess of different sounds and tones of voice, all merged into the same horrible laugh.

"_Alessa_!" Christian cried while the Dweller raised both of its arms. The woman screamed as her mind was invaded by its terrifying presence. The highway shook with such force that it broke in two, and then it changed. Now it was a desolate hospital hallway, covered in grime and crawling with many other terrible things.

"You're killing her!" Christian shouted over the resounding chaos as the hospital changed into a burning house being devoured by the flames every passing moment. Over it all was the Dwellers insistent chortling.

"Make it stop, please! _MAKE IT STOP_!" Alessa screamed repeatedly, and the Dweller's maniacal smile grew even greater.

"See, see, _see_? You're just as easy to break as Cheryl was! _Your pain and your memories are your weakness_!"

Christian gritted his teeth and slid his hand into Alessa's, which really _was_ hers. Cheryl had vanished, leaving the young girl actually there, in her dress and all. She looked up at him and their eyes met. She nodded and stood up, and their grip on each others' hands tightened.

"_What do you think you're doing_?" the Dweller demanded.

"We're going to fight you together!" Christian responded vigorously. The Dweller recoiled from a sudden impact that was invisible to all of them. Its hand swelled to an enormous size and then reverted to normalcy, while one of its eyes popped.

"What… is _THIS_?" it screamed as the burning house around them gave way to that of the deserted highway once more. The Dweller's visage morphed multiple times, even mixing some parts here and there. It shrieked and then, just like that, it snapped and collapsed.

Christian and Alessa just stared at it for a minute before the boy approached it. "Is it… dead?"

"Yes, our combined psychic effort put such a strain on it that it was killed."

"But how is that possible? I don't have any psychic powers or stuff like that. At least I don't _think_ I do."

Alessa glanced at the Dweller's body sadly. "You don't, Christian, but you sent me all your support and energy through this place. Here our consciousnesses wander free and without restraint, so our emotions and thoughts take physical form and even allow us to use the power formed from them."

"…I see," Christian said as he nudged the Dweller with the toe of his shoe. "Then what was he? He said he was a part of me."

"I don't really know, actually," she said, "but I think he was the part of you that was dormant since you were born. The part of you that symbolized God." She took his hand in her own and nodded towards the rest of the highway that had not been traversed. "That is the path you must walk to wake up."

"What do you mean?"

"You can't stay here, Christian. In order to go back to your reality you have to walk to the path's end." She squeezed his hand and smiled at him. "But don't be afraid, because I'll walk it with you."

Christian nodded. "Alright then."

So they walked, and soon the highway degenerated into a simple, ruined street with nothing on either side except for vast, featureless plains. Hand-in-hand, they went down this road, seeing some attractions on the sides. There was a rusted-up swing set with its seats empty, and farther on there was a large, grandfather clock with its pendulum and case destroyed.

"Alessa, where did Miss Mason go when you came?" Christian asked her as they passed the clock.

"I forcibly ejected her back to the actual reality. She should be fine." A little ways off there was a small, plain-looking bed. Lying on it was a woman with light brown hair just staring up at the clouded sky.

"Who is that?" Christian questioned, and Alessa hailed her. The woman sat up and waved at them, smiling as if they were long-lost friends.

"Are you two lost?" she asked as they neared her and the bed.

"No," Alessa replied warmly. "We're going home, actually."

"Home…" the woman said to herself softly. "That's good. You should go; I'm just wasting your time…"

"No!" Christian shot out, surprising them both. "I mean, there's not really a rush, but… You're Mary, right?"

She was taken aback by what he said, but she nodded quickly. "Yes, my name is Mary Sunderland. How did you-,"

"I saw you in a dream, in a hospital-,"

"Hospitals…" Mary laughed. "Oh, that's why I like it here. It feels just like Silent Hill does in the spring and the cracks in the ceiling are all gone… Excuse me, but you come from the other side? I mean, the _actual_ other side?"

"Yes."

"Well then, could you take this with you?" She undid the necklace around her neck and handed it to him. "It's no use to me here, and I'd like for it to be with someone who'd cherish it."

Christian looked at it and then slipped it into his pocket. "Sure, I know exactly who to give it to, actually."

"Really?" Mary giggled. "That's good then! Well, you should be off. I'm taking up your time."

Alessa and Christian waved goodbye and returned back to the road, passing by a rundown cathedral where a barefoot woman who had bleach-blonde hair and wore a black dress was twirling around with her hands reaching up to the sky, as if ready to receive. Alessa watched her for a few moments before turning away.

After several more minutes of walking they reached the end of the road. It just faded into the ground, receding into the plains that surrounded it. There was a man standing before that spot. He faced them.

"Christian. So you made it. Does that mean the Crimson Paragraph was a lie?" Lucas questioned him. The teenager shrugged.

"I really don't know, but I don't really the see the reason in dwelling over it. We'll just have to wait and see what happens."

"Hah!" Lucas chuckled. "You make it seem like the most insignificant thing in the world. Very well then, Christian Richards, I leave the rest to you." He walked past them and once he was a nice distance away Christian called out to him.

"What do you think will happen now?" Lucas gestured aimlessly with his right hand and then kept on forward. Christian smiled and looked back at the road's end. "After I go past this point, will it be over?"

"I don't know," Alessa said honestly, "but I don't want to tell you what I think lies at the road's end—the _real_ road's end, I mean. I'll let you decide that for yourself, Christian."

"Thank you for that, Alessa." He sighed and then glanced at her longingly. "I won't see you again, though, right? This is the end?"

"I'm afraid so." She placed her hands on his shoulders and then kissed him lightly on the cheek. He turned slightly scarlet, but neither of them giggled or acted awkwardly; this matter needed to be resolved.

"I guess I'll go now," he said. "Goodbye, Alessa."

"Goodbye."

Christian looked at her and then what lay behind her before leaving towards a place that was definitely somewhere.

---

Christian awoke instantly inside the pentacle, and he was met with the hideous form of Valtiel standing just behind the wall of flames that separated them. They stared at each other for a moment before Christian got to his feet and began helping Cheryl up. She was unconscious, but still alive.

_'…How were you able to awaken, Christian? This is not how the Crimson Paragraph detailed the Awakening.'_

He did not look at the Red God as he answered, "No, it's not, but how do you know how the Crimson Paragraph detailed anything? You didn't write it, but it doesn't matter anyway, Valtiel, for I'm leaving."

_'You can't!' _it said, but the flames were already parting and allowing Christian to leave the pentacle. _'Impossible!'_ it exclaimed. _'Did you somehow overcome the one who dwells who within…?'_

Christian gave no answer as he left and the flames exploded across the room, engulfing everything they came in contact with.

---

"What the hell just happened?" Joshua inquired as he stomped on the ground. No metal grille. No foreboding darkness below them. No rust or blood. Not even any fog or mist. The town of Silent Hill was the bearer of no apparent evil that day, and the sky was as blue as the day the world was created.

"They did it," Abraham said with the slightest hint of a smile. "I don't know how, but they somehow beat it, whatever it is they were fighting."

"Oh, sweet, solid _ground_!" Zeik stated happily as he kissed the pavement several times.

"Everyone!" yelled a voice from beyond, and they all looked on as Christian approached them with Cheryl's arm slung around his neck. Joshua grinned and ran to meet him.


	42. The One who dwells at the Town's End

Henry woke up to the sight of the ceiling fan and the sound of clanging dishes and pans. He was careful in sitting up, glancing over at Eileen to see if she had heard or reacted. As expected she was still dozing; she had always been a heavy sleeper. She mumbled something that sounded like "…enry…" and he decided not to try and awaken her. He slipped out of the bed and headed for the hallway that connected the master bedroom to the kitchen and den.

The kitchen light _was_ on, and the clock on the wall read '5:35'. He sighed and entered the kitchen, seeing Joshua washing the dishes from the night before. He didn't notice him, only continuing to scrub down one of the dirtiest dishes. On his left hand was a plastic bag, which, Henry could only presume, was to keep the water and soap from damaging the bandage over his left appendage.

"Josh, what are you doing? It's Sunday, and it's only five-thirty," Henry said sheepishly, screwing his eyes up as he did so. His son looked back at him, not startled at all. He turned the faucet off and watched the soaked plates drift in the water.

"I couldn't sleep, Dad. Sorry if I disturbed you and Mom," he said coldly. His father shook his head nonchalantly.

"That's alright; your mother wasn't even fazed. I'm just surprised you're up this early. Would you like a hand?" Henry joined his son in cleaning the plates when Joshua looked at him.

"Hey, Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for being here."

_The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High_

_Epilogue: The One who dwells at the Town's End_

'**BRANGY COMPETITION PRELIMINARIES STARTING NEXT WEEK!**

**Come show your school spirit by rooting for our team! Tickets are on sale…'**

"Are you going, Joshua?" asked a woman from behind him, and he glanced at the person before returning to study the flyer.

"I don't know, Mrs. Lockhart," he replied. He looked at her and saw that her long, chocolate hair had been braided in the back, and her ruby eyes were locked on the flyer. "I mean, I know Nicole's going to be on the team," he continued, "but last year sucked, and from what I hear the years before that weren't so pretty."

Mrs. Lockhart sighed. "It's true, unfortunately. We always seem to end up competing against Valley High, and they just have the pick-of-the-crop, but I have a renewed hope with Nicole on the team. She's proven to be a breath of fresh air. In fact, I'm surprised that you didn't decide to sign up."

Joshua was genuinely shocked by this, but he hid it well. "Oh, you know this isn't the type of thing for me, Mrs. Lockhart."

"That's not true, Joshua!" the teacher said encouragingly. "You're brilliant in science and math! I'm sure you could foil all those rich, snotty brats!"

Joshua shrugged again. "I guess I could've, but I choke up when I'm in front of all those people and stuff, but I have confidence in Nicole too. She's a smart girl. You know, I guess I could buy a ticket…"

"That would be wonderful, Joshua!" She patted him on the shoulder, and he tugged at his backpack strap.

"Hey, Mrs. Lockhart, do you think I could get a job as a teacher?"

"A teacher? Of what?"

"Math, but something advanced, like Algebra or Calculus. Do you think I can?"

"Of course you can! But what is this sudden spur of interest?"

"Uh, I don't know," Joshua responded plainly. "It was just something that came to me when I woke up on Sunday. It was this deep feeling, and I felt something _change_ inside of me. Like, really _change_." He grinned embarrassedly. "You don't want to hear about that, though-,"

"On the contrary, Joshua, I find that very intriguing." Mrs. Lockhart smiled and placed her palm on the flyer. "I know that same feeling that you just described. I just woke up one day and everything was suddenly very clear and crisp, like everything came into view. At the time I found it uncomfortable, because everything was different to me from that point. _Everything_.

"All I can tell you, though, Joshua, is to just follow your intuition."

He shot her a glance from the corner of his eye. "Trying to avoid the cliché?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes. Yes, I guess I was." Mrs. Lockhart tucked her arms together and fixed him with a curious stare. "You know, speaking of math teachers and the like, you don't happen to have any idea about what happened to Mr. Wells, do you? You're one of his students, right?" Joshua trained his eyes on the flyer and took notice of the color red.

"I don't know what happened to Mr. Wells," he replied truthfully and seriously, "but I have a feeling that he won't be teaching here anymore. And I also mean he won't be returning to Ashfield at all."

"How do you figure that?" she asked him as he headed for the cafeteria double-doors. He attained a grasp on one of the handles and looked back over his shoulder at her. His eyes were strikingly cold. And, she saw, they were green. _Green_. 'Have they always been green?' she thought. 'Are you sure they weren't hazel or some sort? Are you _sure_?'

"Just trust me on that one," he answered, and when he smiled at her all the paranoia and sudden fear that had taken a hold of her heart was lifted. "I'll see later, Mrs. Lockhart."

She nodded. "Yes, goodbye Joshua. Enjoy your lunch."

"Likewise." He disappeared through the double-doors leaving her to cringe at the noise of the slamming door. She giggled and ran her palm over the flyer, trying to iron out the wrinkles and creases. There was a red, circular graffiti mark drawn on its corner, but she paid this no heed. It was just those kids and their wacky shenanigans, and that was all it ever would be.

"Joshua Townshend…" She moved back and inspected the flyer. "He's a good kid."

---

Joshua bought lunch that day.

---

Myron Cartland was eating his imitation potatoes serenely when Joshua sat across from him at the cafeteria table where they usually ate at. Myron didn't bother to acknowledge him, and neither did Joshua. The brunet popped his milk carton open and inserted his straw into the triangular hole that lay between the two tabs of the carton. He took a sip.

"Why were you absent the other day?"

"I w-was diag… diagnosed with s-s-some type of w-weird c-c-c-cold."

"Oh. Well you missed another dandy trip to Silent Hill."

"I f-f-figured that was involved, involved with what was h-h-happening."

"What are you talking about?"

"T-The f-f-fires and those type of, of things." Myron plopped another spoonful of the potatoes into his metal-lined mouth. "And I j-j-just though that since it was S-Silent Hill that, that you and the others… would b-be c-c-aught up… in it." He craned his neck to look over Joshua's lunch tray. "Are you, are you going to eat your p-p-potatoes?"

"Huh? No, you can have them." Joshua pushed his tray forward but snatched the roll of buttered bread from its place above the rest of the food before Myron dug in. He munched on it and sipped his milk.

"S-So, where, where is Christian and… and N-Nicole?"

Joshua shrugged. "I guess they're absent."

"Oh…" Myron chuckled and some of the potatoes slid out of his mouth. He hastily wiped his lips and chin with his napkin and said, "I think I may, may have g-g-g-given Nicole my, my cold when she… when she dropped my homework off."

Joshua nodded sagely and bit into his roll when Faith suddenly turned up and sat down. Her long, sparkling red hair was tied back and her schoolgirl uniform by a small black hoodie that was zippered in the front and some faded jeans. She looked at them both and waved at Myron.

"What's wrong with _you_?" Joshua inquired, noting her gloomy demeanor, and his tone of voice was misleadingly harsh. She shrugged and propped her head on her hands.

"I don't know. I just don't feel like being so chipper today."

"H-Have we, have we met before?" Myron asked her, and Joshua shook his head.

"No, you haven't. This is Faith Nielsen, Myron, and that's Myron Cartland, Faith." He motioned at both of them and then returned to consuming his bread roll.

"Hiya, Myron!" Faith greeted, and he meekly waved back at her before finishing off the rest of his imitation potatoes. She pressed her lips together and stared at Joshua's roll hungrily. "Can I have some of it?" she inquired innocently.

"What? No, can't you see I'm eating it?"

"I know you're eating it, but… how about just a _teeny-weeny little piece_?"

"I said _no_, Faith. Besides, why are you sitting here at this table anyway? This is the Townshend posse table. And as far as I know you're not a member of my posse."

Her puppy-dog eyes grew wider in hurt. "What? But… but how I do become a member of your posse then?" she questioned and Joshua shoved the rest of the roll into his mouth and opened up his backpack. He rummaged around in it for a bit before taking out several sheets of paper and throwing them onto the table. He drew a particular one out from the small pile with his forefinger and directed it towards her.

"There. All you have to do is sign. I forged the others' signatures, and their forms are right here." He gestured at the other sheets of paper.

"Josh," Myron began as he got a hold of his "own" form, "you-you f-forged out s-s-signatures? And, and this, this is index p-paper."

"Yes and so what?" Joshua replied irritably. "All I put on them was the little line with the 'X' at the end. They're highly re-usable and they come in large quantities. And look, my forgery skills are unmatched! You can't tell the difference between that and your actual signature, can you? _Can you_?"

"Umm…" Myron shrugged. "I g-g-guess n-not…"

"_Done_!" Faith slid the form back to Joshua and he reviewed it, not that there was much to review at all. And then for no apparent reason, he grasped all of the papers and stood up from the table.

"It's official, then. All we need here is an Emo, a punk, a gothic, a nerd, a jock, and something else, and while Faith may not fit all that criteria, I say "What the hell?"!" Joshua ripped the four pieces of paper up and threw the remains out over the table while starting to laugh hysterically.

"What are you _doing_?" Faith asked in-between a fit of giggling as she zoomed up. She started doing a little jig which Joshua also began to mimic. Myron watched them as if they were the craziest people on the planet.

"I may not know what the hell I'm doing," Joshua said, but "I _do_ know I'm going to do it anyway!" He ran out of the cafeteria and out onto the outer area, attaining all types of odd looks and remarks. Faith followed him in almost the exact same manner, and Myron stared after them before reluctantly rising as well.

"W-W-W-Wait f-for me," he stuttered, and then chased after them. Outside Joshua was vaulting over the railing and Faith was taking the longer route, but they were both laughing like lunatics. Myron broke out into a slight jog after them, and Joshua stopped in the center of the grassy, circular field, just looking up at the sky.

"Do you feel the wind?" he said as Faith bounded up beside him. She smiled and put her face to the sudden breeze as well. She undid her ponytail and let her hair whip out like a crimson veil. She edged up to Joshua cozily, but he didn't mind it at all.

"What are you two doing?" Myron questioned, not stuttering at all. He noticed this and nearly lurched back in astonishment. Faith turned to him in similar surprise but only raised her hands in an I-have-no-idea-what-this-is-about gesture. They both looked to Joshua for an answer and he chuckled.

"I don't know what exactly is going on, but I feel like I'm going through some sort of catharsis and it's making me feel like I can do anything! _Anything_!" To prove this point he wrapped his arms around Faith and pressed his lips against hers so forcefully that she staggered back. Myron gaped in shock and rather than force him away Faith began to open her mouth to deepen the kiss. This lasted for several moments before Joshua broke away, leaving a flustered Faith to fume and stomp on the grass angrily.

"I may have just sealed my fate," Joshua said, ignoring her actions as he spoke to Myron, "but I don't care. If I die, I die, and that's just the way it is."

Myron tried to find the right words to say, however he was entirely incapable. Faith just looked around stupidly. Joshua surveyed them and said, "Is it okay with you two if we spend the rest of our lunch period here?" He patiently waited for a response, and he got one from Faith first.

"Yeah, I don't care!" she replied loudly. Myron could only nod and then nod again, and Joshua sat down on the grass. The two joined him and he leaned back.

"The wind feels pretty nice, doesn't it?" he thought aloud and his lips crept into a small smile. Faith hugged her knees tightly and giggled.

"Yep, it sure does."

He grinned at her and then turned his attention to Myron. "How about you, Myron? Does the wind feel good?"

"…It does," the geeky teenager said. "But it feels so weird, because I never really bothered to pay attention to it."

"Yeah, that's what I mean," Joshua said while lying down on his back and crossing his hands behind his head. "I could spend forever out here, right in this same spot…" Faith and Myron did the same, although Faith spread her arms outward and protruded her knees. Myron sighed.

Henry would've called it the perfect photograph.

---

It was lonely in the cemetery. The pathways were littered with discarded autumn leaves, and they were blown this way and that. Cheryl didn't mind it that much; she would only be here for a short while. It was chilly, and soon it would begin to snow naturally. But for now it was just cool.

Before her the gravestone was clean and crisp, and beside it was a withered bouquet of flowers. "Sorry Dad," Cheryl said as she replaced the dead flowers with a fresh, varied group. "I wasn't able to change them out sooner, but I brought more than usual." She waited for some type of response but knew that none would come. None ever did.

"I went back there, and not because I wanted to, of course, but because I had to. I think it's over now, really over." Again she allowed her words to sink in and be understood clearly. "The teaching's been alright. I'm taking time from my job to talk with you, but they can live without me. I met some good kids too, you know. I gave them a hard time when I had to but I think they stopped hating me for it awhile back. It's hard being a mentor, I suppose."

She let the silence soothe her and then touched the top of the gravestone before turning away and coming face-to-face with Christian. She was so startled she almost fell back, but she gripped her father's gravestone for support and kept her footing. Christian nodded to her and she did the same.

"How-How long have you been here, Christian? What about school?" she breathed, but he brushed it off and looked at Harry Mason's grave.

"I just got here, and as for school… I told my parents I had to take care of some things, and they let me come out here."

"Your parents seemed like understanding people." She sighed. "You must be happy with them."

"Yeah," Christian answered. "I was lucky, I guess, ending up with them. And I got some younger sisters to boot in the process so I'm happy with that." He hunkered down to inspect the gravestone more closely. "He was a good man, wasn't he? Your father?"

"Yes, a very good man." She let it hang for a moment before saying, "What are you doing out here, anyway? I doubt you knew I was here."

"I didn't know you were here, but I had a hunch." Christian shrugged. "Besides, I wanted to meet Harry Mason myself before leaving it all behind me."

"Are you sure you can?" she asked. "I mean, to really leave it all behind you? I thought I had as well, but I could never really forget, and the past always finds a way to creep up on you in the end." The wind rustled a heap of dead leaves nearby. "Here I am, sixteen years later and they found me again. It took sixteen years, but they still found me. Who's to say how long it'll take before they show up again? But this time they won't want me, they'll want _you_, Christian." She closed her eyes and seethed.

The teenager slipped his hands into his coat pockets and let out a breath. "Maybe they will, but it won't matter. My destiny is my own, and they can't change that, whether they want to or not."

They said nothing else. Christian made to walk off suddenly, but Cheryl caught his arm. "Christian, wait. Do you need a ride? It's not too late to take you to school, or I could drive you home. It's your choice."

He looked back at her and smiled softly. "…Thanks Miss Mason, though I don't want to go to either those places."

"What do you mean?"

"Could we stop by Nicole Sunderland's house? You know where she lives, right?"

---

"Well, sir, what do you think?" asked the hairstylist as she swiveled Zeik's chair around to face the mirror at her station. Behind them was the racket of hair dryers, curlers, and the snapping of scissors. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a black-and-white poster on the wall depicting a woman sexily throwing her hair around.

'…The fudge?' Zeik thought. 'That's a _guy_ if I ever saw one… _and I have_. Just not in the way you're thinking, consciousness. Bad consciousness, _bad_!'

"Sir," the blonde hairstylist with the ponytail said, "how do you-,"

"What?"

"Are you satisfied?"

"Huh? Oh." Zeik fidgeted and crossed one leg over the other and analyzed his reflection. He saw the woman's nametag which read, **Peggy**. 'What a stupid name…'

"_Sir_?"

"Oh, sorry." Zeik returned his gaze to the mirror and raised both his eyebrows. "It looks fine to me, _Peggy_," he said. "Is that Finnish, by they way?"

The hairstylist squinted at his reflection disgustedly. "_What_?"

"I guess not, well, anyway, yeah it's fine." Zeik looked over his new hair and had a difficult time recognizing himself. For so long his hair had been black and spiked somewhat, but now it was neither spiked nor black. It was a light shade of brown and was entirely flat and a tad long. He frowned.

"Hey, Peggy."

"…Yes, sir?"

He pulled at his bangs. "Could you part it in the center?" She split his bangs to the sides and he elated. "It's perfect!" he said while jumping up and flashing Peggy a fantastic smile. "I already paid Peggy so I'll be taking my leave!" And with that he was out of _Just-A-Multiple-Cuts_.

"My spikes," Zeik sobbed as he almost tripped over himself. "First I go to that clinic and find my arm _isn't_ broken, and then I have to get rid of my spikes because of that damned sketch the police released… Well, at least I still have Nancy with me…" He reached into one of his pockets in his coat and fished around in it a bit before bringing out some lint. He stared at his for a moment and then screamed.

"Oh God, Nancy, _where are you_?" He searched around his coat some more and still what he was looking for did not turn up. "Nancy, _Nancy_!" he yelled, and then a thought struck him. 'The _clinic_…'

---

Laura Sunderland was waiting patiently for her name to be called as she skimmed through a magazine in the lobby of the medical clinic. She sniffled and rubbed her nose with the sleeve of her violet windbreaker. Around her were mostly seniors and older men and women, and it made her feel strangely out-of-place, being that she was in her twenty-somethings. She glanced up at the television set that was situated at one of the ceiling's corners and saw nothing but a number of business ads looping. She looked at the opposite one and saw a news special concerning the fugitive, "Zeik". The volume was too low to really hear anything the anchorman was saying, but an illustration of the criminal popped up at some point. Laura squinted at it.

'That drawing and the name sound awfully familiar… ah man, where the hell do I know that guy from…?' She flipped the magazine open again and went back to reading the article on _Chicken a la mode_ when she noticed something wedged in-between her seat and the one beside it. Laura plucked it out and saw that it was photograph of a young girl most likely the age of thirteen or fourteen. She was pretty and had some freckles dotting her face. She was lightly tanned and also had beautiful blonde locks.

"Who's this?" Laura murmured to herself when the door exploded open and Zeik rushed in and almost tackled her. He rammed her against the wall and stole away the photograph. He ran his fingers over it soothingly and then cast a dirty glare at Laura.

"What do you think you were doing to Nancy, you filthy—Oh wait, you're-," He didn't have any time to finish since she suddenly sneezed on him, her mucus clinging to his coat. Zeik froze and stared at the greenish slime on the black material of his coat. He slammed into the wall and screamed.

"_Oh my God look what you've done_!" he shouted. "_You just infected me with your damned influenza_!" He frantically pulled out a trigger or sorts from within his coat and looked at all of the people in the room. "I won't die like this, not like some crippled worm wasting away in a bed staring at the cracks in the ceilings everyday and more!" Laura blinked. "_I won't_! I'd rather die at my zenith than at my nadir!" He squeezed the red button on the trigger, but the incineration Zeik expected never came.

"What-," He gave the trigger a nice shake or two and it did nothing. Furiously he threw it to the floor. "You can't rely on self-destruct mechanisms these days, _can you_?" He stomped on it and sent pieces of the black metal to the far corners of the room. Everyone could only stare and Zeik met their gazes.

"_What_?"

"Excuse me, sir, is there something wrong?"

He turned to the front desk where the black-skinned receptionist was looking at him quizzically over her glasses. "Uh, no there's nothing wrong!" Zeik replied cheerily. "I just forgot something and I came to get it!"

She shrugged. "Alright then, just don't make so much of a fuss next time."

"Sure thing." He turned on his heel and was out of there, and Laura felt an urge to follow him.

"Hey, wait!" she said as he walked through the parking lot and onto the sidewalk into a throng of citizens. Laura chased after him and grasped his arm, jerking him back.

"What the hell?" he mumbled as he faced her, but then sighed. "Oh, it's just you, crazy-metal-rock-fannish-influenza-girl-with-some-junk-up-your-trunk."

"…Whatever," Laura said, "but you're Zeik right? The guy I gave a ride here?"

"Duh."

"Well, the thing is, I don't know. What are you doing here?"

Zeik shrugged. "I had to get Nancy back," he replied.

"That's the name of the girl in that picture?" Laura questioned, and he nodded.

"Yep, she was my sister, but she died. A terminal illness."

"…I see."

"Yeah." Zeik suddenly looked at her with renewed interest. "Hey, do you think you could give me another ride? I blew the last of my parcels of cash on changing up my hair, so I have virtually no money." He awaited a response and she slowly nodded.

"I guess." And then they were on the road, Zeik twiddling his thumbs and Laura calmly driving through the streets of Ashfield. "You're wanted by the police, you know." He giggled freakishly.

"I know, but they won't be able to find me. I had to change my hairstyle and then hack into the police station's database and send a virus into it. No problem at all."

"Okay…" Laura glanced at him. "But what did you do exactly? You're pretty big news, apparently."

"Oh, I just blew some property up, that's all. People go ballistic when they lose their nearest Happy Burger, but I hate the stuff personally. Yuck-ity. Hey, you don't have anymore stuff in the back…"

"Why did you do it though? I mean, the blowing up of the Happy Burger and I don't know what else."

"For several reasons," Zeik stated. "One was because I just plain like blowing stuff up." He removed a notebook from his coat and flipped through it, gesturing at various illustrations off eccentric-appearing explosives and bombs. "Secondly—hey I forgot about that one—I like to think of it as taking a jab at society in general. When I was eleven and attending Yale all of the professors laughed at my theories and inventions, calling them "unfathomable concoctions of an immature child". Granted, they didn't say it so formally, but that was the basic message."

Laura was open-mouthed and so distracted she almost ran over the orange kitten that was in the middle of the street. "You attended _Yale_ at _eleven_?" she asked, flabbergasted, but he wasn't listening.

"Kitty!" he called out to the animal as he opened the door a crack and motioned for it to come forward. The kitten trotted up to him and he picked it up and began cuddling it. Laura sneezed. "Where did you come from, little kitty? Are you lost?" Zeik asked it as it purred in his hands. The kitten smelled his glove briefly before rubbing against it with its head. "I think it's mistaking me for someone else, or something…"

Laura drove on without another word.

"You seem like a nice guy, though," she said after a few minutes. "You don't seem that crazy."

"I'm _not_ crazy!" as they rounded a corner. She looked at him and the cat.

"Where did you want me to drop you off at, anyway?"

"…Uh, I didn't really have any place in mind."

"I could lend you some cash and-,"

"Nah, that's alright, uh, Laura," he said. "You can drop me off anywhere. I just wanted a ride." He fondled the kitten's ears lovingly and Laura thought of something.

"I'm pretty sure you could stay at my uncle's. That's where I'm staying at for a few days, since I came to visit."

Zeik was hardly listening as he picked the cat up and nuzzled its tiny face. "That's it!" he exclaimed. "Since you don't have a collar as far as I can see I will proclaim you _my kitty_! And since I am assuming you are a female I shall call you…" He glanced at Laura and chuckled. "Yes, if you are female I shall call you Little Miss Laura!" He cackled and raised it into the air to inspect it and then he frowned. "…Except you _aren't_ female…" He sighed and went back to petting it.

---

Christian approached the front door of Nicole Sunderland's home, which was actually larger than he expected. He avoided the sprinklers and knocked sturdily on the door three times. A moment later an older teenage boy answered it, and he looked puffy and flustered. He sniffled and ran a hand through his tousled brunet hair. "…Can I help you?"

"You're Michael, right?" Christian asked, and he nodded in confirmation. "I was wondering if your sister was home."

"Nicole? Yeah, she's here." He turned back and hollered, "Nicole! You have a visitor!" There was a shuffling of feet and some sort of collision within and Michael Sunderland disappeared into the home and Nicole showed up.

"Christian!" she said in surprise. "What are you doing here?" She held a finger underneath her nose to stifle a sneeze.

"I wanted to come visit and give you something," Christian replied as he took out a chain from his pocket and handed it to her. She gasped upon holding it to the sun to get a better look.

"Christian, it's beautiful…!" She sniffled and then asked, "Where did you get it?"

"…From a friend," he answered. "I thought you'd like it."

She smiled. "Thank you. I _do_ like it."

"That's good to hear," he said, and she put the necklace on and twirled around.

"How does it look?"

"Great!" he said, smiling, but then he frowned. "By the way, do you and your brother have some sort of cold?" He eyed her pajamas and her slippers, which were the giant type that were in the form of rabbits.

"Uh, yeah," she responded with a giggle. "When I went by to leave Myron his homework the other day I think I got his cold and, well, gave it to my whole family…"

"Huh…"

"I know…" She sneezed lightly.

"Bless you."

"Thanks."

He nodded and raised a hand. "Guess I'll be on my way, then. Miss Mason is giving me a ride and I shouldn't make her wait."

"Okay, bye!" she said, and then hesitantly pecked him on the cheek. "And that was for the necklace, Christian. I _really_ do like it. I'm not just being polite."

"I know," Christian said, and he turned away and started back towards the car when another vehicle parked behind it. Nicole peeked out at it before turning her head back towards the interior of the house.

"Uncle James, Laura's back!" she yelled and from the car Laura and Zeik stepped out, the latter holding the orange kitten in his arms.

"Hey, Laura, do you really think your family will let me stay here?"

"Of course they will," she replied as Christian stared at them. She waved at him and he waved back, and then Zeik saw him and Christian saw Zeik.

'…Isn't that little Josh?' he thought upon seeing the kitten. Zeik cringed and backed away in tremendous fear as he walked up to him. "Hey, that's not your cat, is it?"

Zeik didn't answer. "…_You're that Antichrist kid_!" he shouted in fright. "Stay the _hell_ away from me!" Christian laughed embarrassedly and waved his hands in dismissal of it.

"No, no, no, please, I just want to know if that's your cat or not!"

"Oh… well it technically isn't. I found him on the street. He doesn't have a collar."

"Okay." Christian crouched down and spread his arms out. "I'm going to try something, that's all. Come here little Josh, come here!" The kitten struggled in Zeik's arms a moment before leaping out and into Christian's, and Zeik shrugged.

"Is that your kitty?" he inquired, and the blond teenager shook his head.

"No, it's my friend's, but don't worry about it; I'll make sure to return him." Christian turned to the Cheryl's car but Zeik hailed him.

"Hey, tell your wacky friend that I'll get laid one of these days! Tell him he _hasn't seen the last of Zeik_!" Christian looked back and nodded before climbing into the automobile. Zeik watched them drive away and he made his way reluctantly towards the house.

---

"You guys know that almost everyone is staring, right?" And with those words Joshua's serenity was broken, however he grinned and his eyelids opened up small slits. He saw his blond friend sit down in an empty space between him and Myron as well as little Josh pouncing on Faith, who sat up in surprise.

"Little Josh!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" She hugged the kitten and rolled on the grass with it while Christian laughed.

"He was with that Zeik guy. They were at Nicole's house." Joshua sat up and eyed him lazily.

"That bomber dude? What the hell was he doing around Nicole's house?"

"I don't know, but he had a few words for you, Joshua. He wanted you to know that—he shrugged at this—he would get laid one day and that you hadn't seen the last of him." Joshua listened intently and then laughed.

"_What a stoner_!" he said to the air and then fell back on the grass and closed his eyes. "How much longer do we have for lunch, Chris? Do you know?"

"I'd say another five minutes."

"That's enough time for you to join us. Just relax. Myron relaxed so much he fell asleep." Faith giggled a bit too much at that and poked the geeky teenager in the cheek and a snore escaped him. Christian chuckled as Faith dropped little Josh into her hoodie and lay back. The blond smiled and lay back as well. He heard Joshua say something.

"Hey, Chris?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you have any memories? About that God thing? Any at all?"

Christian contemplated his answer and shook his head. "I don't, Josh. I'm glad about it, though. I'd rather just be myself through and through."

"Damn straight," Joshua said, and in the following silence they discovered Faith had fallen asleep too.

---

Linda could hardly sleep as the bus' engine started up. People passed by her seat and chatted nonstop, and with all of the combined commotion it was impossible to even think of sleep. She was going to go somewhere far away and leave it all behind. The Order, Silent Hill… it was over. That part of her life was over.

She squeezed her eyes shut and adjusted the pillow behind her head when someone sat in the seat next to hers. Linda peeked and gasped. "Abraham! How-,"

"I wasn't going to just let you go by yourself, you know," he said while popping some chocolate almonds into his mouth. He grinned and held the box out to her. "Would you like some?"

Linda shook a finger. "No, thank you, Abraham." She sighed. "You didn't have to come to my rescue, you know."

"I wanted to," Abraham said as the bus began to move. "And you wanted me to, of course. We both knew that."

"Well yeah," she said while leaning on his shoulder. "What about their bodies, what did you do for them?"

"I buried them as best he could," Abraham answered as he ate a few more almonds. "I prayed for them as well. They didn't deserve what Lucas did to them."

"What of Lucas?"

"…I couldn't find his body," Abraham replied sadly coldly. "I think it may have been lost in the transition between out reality and the other." He sighed. "Poor Lucas."

"I'm sure he's found his salvation somewhere on the other side. Isn't that what God was supposed to do? Grant us salvation?"

"Maybe," Abraham said, "but I don't think it's up to God. I think we have to find our salvation on our own."

---

"Miss Mason?" Joshua rapped on her door several times before setting foot in the classroom, and she looked back at him as she packed her bag. She beckoned him forward and he sat at his desk in the front row.

Cheryl brushed back a strand of black hair. "Can I help you, Joshua?"

"Not really," the brunet said as he dropped his backpack to the side of the desk. "I just wanted to tell you thanks for all the help you've been lately. During my first year here at South Ashfield High I never liked you, but I think I misjudged you. What do you say we give it another go?" He held out his hand and she moved around her desk to shake it.

"You're my student, Joshua, so of course we can give it another go. We can _always_ give it another go."

He stood up and nodded. "Thanks Miss Mason." He walked to the doorway and then looked back. "See you next week."

"See you." And he left.

---

"Michael, you can spend the night in Nicole's room; Anthony will be getting your room," Nicole's mother stated as if it were law that night at the dinner table. Michael Sunderland didn't protest at all, and half of the reason was the he was releasing a good amount of mucus into a tissue. Nicole grimaced in disgust.

"Couldn't you do that somewhere other than the dinner table, Mike?" Nicole asked him while Zeik glanced at them both over his spoonful of raspberry jelly that he was about to slip into his mouth. Mrs. Sunderland beamed at him from across the table, as they were sitting at the ends of it.

"Do you find the food satisfying, Anthony? You _are_ our actual guest after all!" She laughed, and Zeik laughed as well.

"Oh yes, Mrs. Sunderland, the food is fantastic! The chicken tastes wonderful, like… a chicken that had been roasted and skewered by some big-red-pyramid-y-thing!"

James choked and nearly coughed up his food upon hearing this. He swallowed it down and Laura watched him with concern. "You okay, James?"

"Y-Yeah, it just went down the wrong pipe…"

The dinner was just dandy for Zeik, and that night while he was lying in Michael's bed staring uncomfortably at a poster of rabbit wearing skimpy clothing on the ceiling, there was a knock on the door.

"Uh, it's open," he said, and Laura entered tentatively, her hands behind her back. He stared at her over Michael's comforter. She was wearing a long tee-shirt and some wool pants and a pair of giant, yellow, bunny slippers. "…What?" Zeik asked, and the woman shrugged. She pulled out Michael's leather computer chair and turned it backwards, sitting down and throwing her arms around its back. Zeik drew the covers up over his mouth and whimpered.

"I couldn't sleep," she said, sniffling. "My nose keeps running and I can hardly breathe. In fact, the only one who hasn't caught it is James."

"You Sunderlands are weird," Zeik said as he turned over onto his side. She pressed her forehead against the leather and sighed.

"Yeah, I guess we are."

"…You call him James because he isn't your father, right? You were adopted?"

Laura glanced out of the window at the neighborhood. It was so dark tonight. "I am adopted. When I was eight I became his daughter, but it wasn't easy. Sometimes I felt like running away." He rolled onto his other side so that he saw her clearly.

"What are you doing here, anyway? Shouldn't you be getting sleep or eating some cottage cheese or going through menstruation or just not bothering me?"

"Sorry, I just felt like talking you. You're… _interesting_."

"No, I'm the most boring-y person on the face of the Earth. Now leave me alone so when I wake up I can have _no_ recollection of this little talk… Besides, I'll be too busy blowing my nose. I can already feel the sniffles coming on…"

Zeik waited for her to up and leave but she did no such thing. His head jerked up in a tired scowl. Laura scratched her head and smiled. "Sorry, I just wanted to ask why you went so ballistic at the clinic." He clicked his tongue exasperatedly.

"If you really have to know it's because I didn't want to die twenty years from now, suffering from the same disease with no end in sight. By that time I'd be _wanting_ death, and I didn't want to die like that. I'd rather pass on when I still have some fight in me, you know? But that's only my last option. I can't allow myself to die yet."

This sparked Laura's interest even more. "What do you mean by that?"

"Oh you know, at least until I start my legacy or something," Zeik answered perfectly calmly. "Since my entire immediate family is dead I have to live on for them, or else the Williams' family will be long gone. I think. I remember my mom was pregnant with another kid a few years after Nancy died, but since I went to go live with my godparents before it was born I never really knew what happened to it… so I have to be the sole bearer of the Williams name until I like, have a kid or something. But I have no idea when that's going to happen, and I've already come close to dying a few times."

He shrugged and connected his hands behind his head. "Eh, you know how it is. People think I'm a stoner."

"…You _do_ give off that vibe sometimes." She flipped the chair around and sat in it correctly, letting her hands fall into her lap. "Do you _want_ a kid, though? I don't mean to offend you but you don't seem like the type of caring parent."

"That's 'cause I'm not," he replied in that serene tone of voice. "The way I see it, I'd bang the chick, slap her once or twice, saying: "We shouldn't have done this! I didn't want a child! You stupid slut!" you know, all that jazz. Then, since the girl couldn't support her and the kid, she'd give him up to some orphanage. Give it a few years, and then I'd go and reveal myself as the father and tell him of his destiny and whatnot. It would all depend on whether or not his mother poisoned his mind with lies about me being a bastard who abandoned them. Do you dig?"

"…That's pretty convoluted if you ask me."

"I _didn't _ask you."

"Yes you did."

"No I didn't."

"…Yes you did."

"No you didn't," Zeik said, but he sighed and wrapped himself up more tightly in the sheets and comforter. "Anyway, just forget about it. It's not important."

Laura stood up and tapped him on the shoulder. "There's something else, though, Zeik," she said, and he sat up angrily.

"What _now_?" he demanded and her lips met his before he could say anything else. She moved back cautiously, awaiting some type of disturbed response. He merely stared at her blankly and said: "…The hell was that?"

She seemed mildly taken aback but smirked and tapped him lightly on the tip of his nose with her index finger. "Just something you can think about, stupid-ass," she told him haughtily.

'…Stupid-ass?' he wondered as she walked to the door and turned the knob. "Hey, just so you know, I'm gay."

"Uh huh," she murmured sarcastically before leaving and he fell back.

"…She's definitely horny. And a stoner," he thought aloud. "Huh. Stupid-ass…"

---

"Whoa, z-o-m-g, did you freakin' see that?" cried a random student when Myron tripped over a crack in the ground and fell face-first onto the pavement. His glasses cracked upon impact, and when Joshua and Christian were helping him up he sighed and put them away into his pant pocket.

"Shit, Myron! You okay?" Joshua said as he looked his friend over. Myron shrugged nonchalantly.

"Y-Yeah, I'm f-f-fine…"

"That was a pretty bad fall," Christian commented. "What about your glasses?"

"I'm f-fine, really. M-M-My, my glasses are… are just, j-just chipped. It happens a lot."

"Like hell it does," said Joshua as he peered out at the rest of Ashfield High School's exterior. It was the end of the day, and everyone was preparing to leave. There were some students skating at the parking lot and incapacitating themselves, and some delinquents were getting high… with the security guard joining them. "You need to get those fixed, Myron. And are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, b-but I th-think I s-s-scathed my, my knee…" Myron touched the spot with his palm and then shrugged again.

"Myron, you have to worry a bit more about yourself," Joshua told him. "One of these days you're going to be dismembered or something, and you're just going to shrug it off?"

"…P-Probably."

"_SUPER MONKEY ASSAULT WITH SPRINKLES_!"

"What the-," Joshua was tackled down by Faith. She giggled uncontrollably and climbed off him. Christian and Myron exchanged glances.

Joshua got up and fixed the girl with a hateful glare. "_What the hell was that_? You almost killed me you stupid harlot!"

"Sorry, it was just that I get really hyper sometimes," she said while rolling her eyes to the side and twisting her finger around. "I have to release my pent-up energy…"

"Release it in bed or something, _not on me_!" Joshua exclaimed angrily when there was a sudden yelp from behind him. He turned and Myron reluctantly headed over to the sound. Joshua scratched his chin thoughtfully.

A little ways off girl had fallen and spilled all the books she was carrying. Her two friends—shallow airheads, that was what they were—didn't really do anything, and they even backed away when Myron neared them.

"Isn't that that Gretchen chick?" Faith asked. "She's in my Geometry class I think. Smarter than I am."

"No shit," Joshua said, and then added, "but hey, is it hot out here, or is it just her?"

Myron took the girl named Gretchen by the hand by the hand and helped her to her feet. She was taller than he was by about an inch, and he acknowledged that her hair was long and intensely black, like the color Melissa Blackheart's had been before, when he had snuck away with Joshua to Silent Hill. He was, for some strange reason, awestruck by her beauty. But since Myron had quite a bit more self-control than most other males his age, he hardly showed it.

"…Thanks," she said, out of breath, while dusting off her skirt. She smiled at him as he gathered up the dropped books. "Oh, you don't have to do that," she said while reaching down to take them. Their hands brushed for a second and she blushed unconsciously. Myron's cheeks tinted red, but that was all.

"I'm so clumsy. I'm always tripping," she explained while cradling the books in her arms. "I don't think I know you… I'm Gretchen."

"M-Myron Cartland," he said, "and, and don't… don't worry about it. I trip sometimes too."

"Well, thank you Myron… That's a cool last name, by the way. It sounds like the type of name the detective has in those mystery movies."

Myron smiled all of a sudden. "Y-You like those movies, too?"

"Yeah, they're my favorite kind, actually." They stayed like that for a moment until one of Gretchen's friends called out to her.

"Come on, Gretchen! Let's go!"

"Okay, okay, I'll be right there!" she yelled back to them. "I have to go, but I'll see you around, alright?"

"Sure, I'd like that."

"Great!" She turned and went to join her friends, and she looked back at him once. He waved.

Joshua, Faith, and Christian came to him as he took a puff from his inhaler. Joshua clasped him on the shoulder, and the force of it made Myron rock feet a bit. "That was badass, Myron. You scored without even trying! Or, well, you know what I mean, but anyway, and it was with a chick like that! Seriously, I thought global warming finally caught up with us after all these years. Right, Chris?"

The blond flushed and scratched his head. "Err, yeah."

"It's funny that we've never seen her around before… must be all this Silent Hill stuff going on… it's been distracting us, man! We're so busy killing demons and evil gods that we can't concentrate on the finer things in life. I mean, look, we get stuck with Genghis Khan here!" He pointed his thumb over his shoulder at Faith, and she stuck her tongue out at him.

"…Still, though," Joshua said, "you had to use your inhaler!"

Myron put it away. "Oh, n-n-no, I j-just had one, one of my cl-clear m-m-m-moments, so I had to… I had to use it b-before I h-h-h-hyper… v-v-ventilated."

"Hyperventilated, sure."

"R-Really… and it was-was never my inten…intention to s-s-"score". It was, it was the r-right thing to do."

"You just keep on saying that, Myron!" Joshua grinned. "You just keep on saying that." He turned to the others. "I'm get going then, guys, so I guess I'll see you all tomorrow."

"No, I have to _SUPER MONKEY ATTACK YOU WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS_!" And she did. Christian laughed at this, and Myron smiled as he turned his head to gaze off in the direction Gretchen had gone.

---

On the lawn across from the Townshend clan's household there were a little girl and boy frolicking with a red, plastic, air-inflated ball. They belonged to the Collins Family, who had just moved into the neighborhood a week before. The girl was the older of the two and had nice, curly brown hair that wasn't too long or too short. The boy's hair was in a mushroom-cut and it was the same color as his sister's.

As they were playing Joshua Townshend had come around the block and was walking to his home. Without warning, as he neared the driveway the red ball flew out of the little boy's hands and smacked him in the temple. Joshua, startled and dazed, reared back and watched the ball bounce a couple of times on the street before rolling away. He strode towards it and snatched the ball up with his free hand, as his other was gripping his backpack strap that was slung over his right shoulder.

The two kids stared at him in silence as he extended their ball out to them. "This is yours, right?" Joshua asked. The boy took it slowly.

"…S-Sorry about hitting you," the boy said, but Joshua motioned with his hand to say it was unnecessary.

"That's fine." He looked over the two and frowned. "I don't think I've seen you two before. Are you new around here?"

The girl nodded. "Yep, we moved here like a week ago. I'm Beatrice Collins, and that's my brother, Mark!"

"Beatrice and Mark, eh?" Joshua said. "Where are your parents? Are you playing out here by yourself or what?"

"Our mom's inside making dinner. She said we could play for a little bit before going inside." Joshua suddenly felt a light throbbing in his forehead, like the lightest headache ever. Out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw an axe leaning against the side of the house, but was it really there…?

"Do you want to play with us?" Beatrice asked him as her brother handed her the ball. Joshua massaged his forehead with two fingers.

"…Sorry," he said, "I'll have to take a rain check on it. Besides, your mom's probably worried about you. It's dangerous for you two to be playing outside by yourselves. You should go on inside."

The children exchanged glances and Mark nodded. "Yeah, I think we should, Bea." The girl frowned but said, "Okay," in agreement. Mark looked at Joshua and grinned.

"Thanks, uh…"

"My name's Josh," he said, and then pointed at his home which lay across from theirs. "That's where I live, and if you ever want to visit there won't be anyone stopping you. My dad makes some badass cheesecake too."

Beatrice giggled and ran up to the door. "Okay, see you later Josh!" Mark did the same and they disappeared into their home. Joshua chuckled and walked on over to his own house, but he stopped in front of a package that was lying right on the doorstep.

"What… the hell?" he thought aloud as he put his backpack down and sat down beside the box. 'It's a UPS package, but we didn't order anything as far as I know…' He ripped the tape off with some difficulty with his right hand and opened it.

Inside was a red-skinned notebook and an envelope.

"You've _got_ to be shitting me!" Joshua exclaimed as he removed the items from the cardboard box. He put the notebook down to the side and examined the envelope. On its front was written: _Joshua Townshend_

Joshua went on to tear through the envelope and find the letter that lay within. He retrieved it and started to read…

_If you are reading this, Joshua, then rest assured that this is the last you will be hearing of me. Think of this as my will and final testament._

_Since the time I awoke with my Mother to the time you used the Ninth Spear, I was given the chance to change my views of the world and the people who live in it. Not much has changed concerning them. It is rare to find someone who acts for the benefit of others and not of himself, or someone who desires to help anyone, regardless of their ethnicity or beliefs. I don't expect you to believe me, but everything I ever did I did for my Mother's sake. For my true Mother, wherever she may be._

_I hurt many people, and the question you are most certainly thinking of is whether or not they deserved it. Most of them did. Some of them were murderers themselves, and others just were not good-hearted people. Others, I admit, did not deserve their fate, but I did what I had to do, just as you did what **you** had to do that time in Silent Hill._

_Two of those exceptions were your parents, which I am sure you are glad to hear. I met your mother, Eileen, long ago, and she displayed the qualities of the Mother. Henry was a different case. The Receiver could have been anyone, but they had to be strong in their will and resolution. They had to be allowed to delve into the Abyss and discover the truth._

_If you're wondering why I am alive, all I have to say is that we are still connected. If you die, Joshua, I will die, and that is the only way my existence here can end. No longer will I be capable of seeing your memories or meeting the people you have met. The Ninth Spear true use was to grant me my humanity back._

_One final note, Joshua—leave Silent Hill as it is. What you saw there was only a sample of what lies in the Abyss. The Abyss. Silent Hill. They are the same. Turn your back on them forever._

_And now I must take my leave. Tell your parents goodbye for me, and perhaps, one day, we shall meet again on the other side. Until that day comes, goodbye._

_Walter Sullivan_

Joshua silently folded the letter up and jammed it into his pocket. He put his backpack on, dropped the red notebook into the box, managed that in the crook of his arm, and then fumbled with his house keys. Upon opening the door he glanced back at the rest of the neighborhood and took in the sights. He turned back and entered his house, closing the front door as he did so.


End file.
